


I love you beyond sense, worlds and time

by QuillyMartell1



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Asgardian Darcy, Awesome Darcy Lewis, F/M, Repentance, Self-Discovery, Slow Burn, loving even if its hard, tasertricks - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-18 09:14:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 111,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9378113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuillyMartell1/pseuds/QuillyMartell1
Summary: Darcy, in her panic, nearly missed the way his glowing blue eyes widened, and the impossibly blue dulled to a greener nuance instead. But the greatest change was how the rage on his face disappeared and gave way to complete shock and awe instead."You..."





	1. Chapter 1

The rotting skeleton looking people, chitauri or whatever, were everywhere. The never ending stream of them that flew through the portal were running amok in New York, but to Darcy's huge relief they didn't seem to be in Stark tower, where she currently was.

Jane had started to cooperate with Tony-Iron man-Stark on the Bifrost project and was working with him in her brand new lab in Stark tower, and where Jane went her sarcastic sidekick followed. And now Darcy was even getting paid, it was still for the normal assistant thingies, but now she was also performing minor hacking jobs for Tony... And occasionally SHEILD if Tony was interested. And her mother said that hours in front of her computer would never pay off, ha!

But currently she was running for her life, wishing for the hundredth time that she had taken up cardio, her legs and lungs were burning and judging by Tony's quick description by phone of where she was supposed to go she had a bit left to run. There was no monster inside the tower, true, but they were trying to get in. And while the staff was evacuating, Darcy and Jane stayed behind to get the shields up and running. But they hadn't counted on their systems being shut down by and outside force, so while Jane, despite her limited computer knowledge, tried to block them from getting all access, Darcy was going to go to the circuit room and get the shields up manually. The stupid room just had to be really high up in the tower, probably so that Tony could access them all in cases like this, only he needed to fly around in his suit and beat up aliens.

Her phone buzzed and she pulled it up without stopping. "Jane!"

"Darcy, are you close to the circuit room?"

"I'm getting there" she panted as she skidded around a corner and then sprinted down the corridor "I'm almost at Tony's floor now. Any luck with the blocking?"

"It doesn't look like they are getting any closer into the systems, but I still have no access to Jarvis" Darcy gave her a few quick advice on what to do and then continued to run, she didn't stop until she ran into the circuit room door.

"Blue button, blue button" she repeated what Tony had said would turn on the shields as she picked up her card and turned to swipe it over the scanner. Only to realize that the scanner was smashed and the door was slightly open.

"Fuck" she pulled the door open and saw the smashed monitors and equipment. She started to call Jane as she looked for a blue button, please let the one button she needed be intact, please please please...

"Jane the room is smashed, the blue button too" typical. Darcy pulled her fingers through her hair then shrieked in fright. She could hear Jane on the other end asking her what was wrong, but Darcy was too occupied staring at the prone form of a man in black clothing laying on the floor. But that was not the creepy part, his eyes were wide open and glowing in a light blue color. He didn't seem to react to her being in the room so she walked a little closer.

"Darcy answer me!"

"There's a guy on the floor, his eyes are freaky blue and I don't think he knows I'm here" Jane was quiet for a moment. "Loki must have used him to destroy the circuits. He must need the shields down so they don't interfere with the tesseract energy"

"He's here?" Darcy suddenly felt like panicking. She had seen what he had done in New Mexico, and that was only with one robot helper. Now he had thousands of skeleton buddies to help him, and humans as well apparently.

"Tony sent a message, Loki is on the roof and the avengers are working on getting there to shut down the tesseract. There's just too many chitauri in the way."

Darcy paused briefly before asking "would shutting it down bring down Loki?"

"It's very likely that the portal would close, based on what we know of the tesseract. So yes in a way" Darcy took a deep breath. She was by no means someone who could be called brave, she was the quirky assistant/hacker with a nack for sarcasm and an obsession with TV series. Not a super spy or a super soldier with the power to save the world. She hoped she was enough though.

"Then let's go" Darcy ran to the elevator and pressed the button to make it go up to Tony's floor, it was the only way to get there. 

"Darcy what are you talking about?" Jane asked as the elevator opened. Darcy stepped in and punched in the code for it to access Tony's place. 

"I'm gonna shut the blue sparkly thing off and make the aliens go away" she said with as much conviction she could muster. She felt the elevator move upwards and she started to feel butterflies in her stomach. 

"What! Darcy you can't, he will kill you! Darcy please-" the connection suddenly broke and Darcy removed her phone from her ear and put it in her pocket. 

She tried to ignore the desire to run, it was true what Jane said. Loki would probably try, and succeed, to kill her if he saw what she was doing. Her heart pounded as the elevator doors slid open and she stared out into the surprisingly calm living room of Tony Stark's apartment. No Loki lounging around in one of the sofas watching his aliens destroy buildings, laughing evilly as they did, like a classic cartoon villain. She walked out of the elevator slowly and moved into the room, walking close to the wall to avoid being seen, if it worked she didn't know. She was next to the bar when a figure appeared on the elaborate balcony outside. 

She dove behind the bar and tried to keep her heart from pounding out of her chest. Loki was on the balcony, there was no way it could be anyone else. Darcy took five deep breaths and then peered over the top of the counter. Loki was very pale, he looked manic, his glowing blue eyes stared out at the destruction before him, but he still didn't seem satisfied with what he saw. He was very tall, Darcy noted, not quite as tall as Thor and not as muscular but he was still huge. 

The tall God was suddenly knocked down by something even bigger and they collided into mass of green and red. Thor. The two men rose to glare at each other and then started to have a conversation that Darcy couldn't hear. The conversation soon turned into fighting and Darcy looked on in horror as she realized Thor had some serious competition in his brother. One of shield's small planes approached the balcony and Darcy stared wide eyed as Loki shot a giant hole through the wing of the plane and it went down. Through it all the brothers kept on fighting and it looked terribly emotional on both parts. 

Thor seemed to get ahold on Loki and Darcy straightened herself a little to take the chance to run to the tesseract, it wasn't on the balcony so it had to be on the roof so she only needed to get back to the elevator. Or in worst case climb the outside of the building. Her planning was interrupted by Thor's scream and she stared at him to see if he was hurt. He was looking at Loki with such anger and hurt that Darcy hurt for him, and she winced as Thor bellowed out in pain again and she was pretty sure she gasped when he pulled out a dagger from his side and threw it on the ground. 

Loki suddenly disappeared of the edge of the balcony and onto one of the weird flying devices the aliens used. She stood up and started to run out towards Thor when he started to swing his hammer really quickly and then flew away with it in the direction Loki had disappeared to. She paused to look out over New York and felt indescribably sad by how it looked. Buildings were destroyed, people were screaming, people were dead... She looked at the buildings and realized with horror that people had been inside them as they fell, tears formed in her eyes and she turned cold as she imagined what they must have felt as everything crumbled around them. 

A hover thing flew past her close enough that her hair flew across her face and covered her eyes and she threw herself on the ground, after sweeping her hair from her face she stared after the hover as it flew away with three gross chitauri crawling on top of it. She then snapped out of her shock and started to run to the other end of the balcony where a ladder led up to the tesseract platform on the roof. 

It was surprisingly warm outside. The shining sun obviously didn't feel like being more ominous when the earth was being attacked. After climbing the ladder and focusing very hard on not falling or thinking about how insanely high up she was, she came to a full stop in front of the tesseract panel and just stared at the person standing on the opposite side of the big metal construction. 

"Erik?" Erik Selvig lookd up from his work with the panel and stared at her, sure the Swedish scientist had always had blue eyes as the stereotype dictated but now they were glowing, in the same creepy way as Loki's eyes had glowed. 

"Darcy, my dear, are you here to assist?" He asked with a small smile. It was his special smile, the kind of smile that reminded Darcy of how fathers looked at their kids, pride and happiness. But now when it was together with his sickly pale skin and glowing blue eyes it made her uncomfortable and very sad. 

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you need" she said and then looked up at the energy crackling along the machine from the tesseract in its center. "Is it keeping the portal open?" 

"Yes, soon it will always be open" he looked up to gaze almost longingly at the black hole in the sky where a big whale robot looking thing just went through with a terrible roar that shook through her body. Darcy turned her gaze to Erik who still looked up. She picked up what felt like a remote of some sort from the platform and clutched it hard in her hand. 

"Erik, I'm sorry" before he could react she was behind him and knocked the remote on the back of his head. He fell back against her and she carefully laid him down, or as carefully as her unprepared arms were capable of. So she pretty much dropped him, but gently. 

She got up and then looked at the monitors and buttons on the panels around the tesseract... There wasn't a button that shouted 'stop world destruction' so she was lost. She picked up her phone and dialed Jane's number but was only met with a constant beeping that signaled the lack of connection. 

"Fuck!" She sighed and ran her fingers though her hair in frustration and then jumped back in surprise as a force field erupted from the tesseract and covered the whole platform around it. 

"Well that's not good" she muttered. 

"What do you think you are doing mortal?" Someone said menacingly from the other side of the tesseract and she shrieked in surprise and flinched back from the tesseract. 

Her eyes widened and she felt paralyzed by fear when she saw who it was. Dressed in gold, green and black with the scepter in his hand he was too distinctive to confuse with anyone else. The air suddenly seemed to still, the sound of battle disappeared, it was just them. 

Darcy, in her panic, nearly missed the way his glowing blue eyes widened, and the impossibly blue dulled to a greener nuance instead. But the greatest change was how the rage on his face disappeared and gave way to complete shock and awe instead.

"You..."


	2. 2

The days that followed the invasion were filled with confusion, but also immense relief. But still very much confusion, as the avengers would demonstrate as they sat around a big table in the SHIELD base watching Fury rant and pace back and forth.

"- the black hole was open for a total of 1 hour and 34 minutes, barely getting the full invasion started. What I want to know is how and who shut it down, since none of you were at the location to do so and only got there when it was off" Fury stopped at looked at the avengers. For reasons unknown eyes turned towards the black widow, assuming that the Russian knew, since she always knew everything.

"I wasn't close to the tower at the moment, so as far as I know it might have been Dr. Selvig who broke out of his trance or something like it"

"No" all eyes turned to Thor who had a remarkably stony expression on his face, these last days had been pretty tiring for him. With trips back and forth to Asgard to seek advice from Odin on how to proceed with Loki.

"Then who did it?" Fury asked and just as Thor opened his mouth a voice came from the figure leaning against the window, eyes peering over the city.

"Loki turned it off himself" Hawkeye answered and Fury looked back at him.

"And why the hell would he do that? Why surrender when the full extent of his alien army wasn't here yet?" Fury asked, his one eye burning with irritation, he was a man who didn't like to know half of the story. He needed to know it front to back with footnotes and everything.

"There was a woman on the balcony" Clint said and looked up from the city to Fury. "I don't know who she is though"

"She's alive?"

"It appeared so"

"Where the hell did she come from?" Fury asked, feeling like this woman could solve the mess this was becoming.

Clint shrugged "I was pretty preoccupied with our plane being shot down at the time but it looked like she came from inside the tower"

"Foster?" Fury asked and Hawkeye shook his head, knowing what Dr. Foster looked like.

"Darcy?" Tony asked one eyebrow arched in disbelief. "Darcy Lewis? She was left with Foster"

"Who the hell is Darcy Lewis?" Fury asked and as the avengers who knew her filled him in on what she did and what her accomplishments were, Thor sighed deeply and closed his eyes in defeat. At least he had tried, but hopefully he could keep it from going further.

* * *

Darcy bounced her leg up and down and fiddled with her nails, nearly scratching all her purple nail polish off. She was nervous, but that may not be so strange given that agents she didn't know had picked her up from her apartment and dragged her here without telling her what was going on, where she was, or what they thought she had done. The only illegal thing she had done in her life was to download movies for Christ sake! And although it was a huge amount of movies, she did think this was a bit extreme.

It probably had something to do with the invasion though, but she would prefer not to think about that. It had all been to strange and it made her uncomfortable to think about...

The door to the small silver interrogation room opened and a woman with red hair and a tall muscular man walked in and sat down in the chairs in front of hers on the other side of the table.

She smiled at them, still nervous but a bit more reassured when she saw them, they had been nice to each other before after all, when they had talked in Stark tower. "Hey guys"

Black widow and Captain America looked back at her, the captain smiled at her while the woman looked at her with a face that perfectly demonstrated the definition of neutral expression.

"Darcy, tell us what happened at Stark tower when you tried to shut the tesseract off, Dr. Foster said that that's what you tried to do" Steve asked and Darcy swallowed hard.

"I-I was trying to get the shields up first, but the circuit room was smashed. That's when I went up to the balcony to shut the glowy thing off"

"The tesseract" Natasha said and Darcy nodded, suddenly feeling very small under her gaze. "How were you planning to do that?"

"I don't know. Look for a button that said 'off' or 'self destruct' or something" Darcy said with a laugh, Steve smiled gently. A woman putting her life at stake to save others without being sure if it was worth it in the end both made him proud and worried over her.

"Then you met Loki" Natasha stated and Steve saw how Darcy's eyes flashed with both confusion and fear for a brief second. Darcy nodded. "What happened?"

Darcy was quiet for a moment then when she spoke she was quieter than before. "Thor fought with him-"

"We know, but what happened when you met him?" Natasha asked and Steve continued to observe the younger woman's expression, he could see her reliving that moment and the confusion she had felt. Steve had never been an expert in interrogations or reading people but Darcy was an open book.

"He seemed to know who I was" Darcy said. That caught the spy's attention and she narrowed her eyes a little.

"You encountered the destroyer in New Mexico, was that how he knew you?"

"I don't think so, I wasn't around for much of the fighting so I don't think he saw me. I ran to get the dogs out of the animal shelter and tried to get them into cars with people who tried to flee" Darcy shrugged "I'm pretty sure that the destroyer thing didn't see me"

"Then how did he know who you were?" Steve asked with a thoughtful frown and Darcy shook her head.

"I have no idea. But he... He seemed to change, I guess? After he saw me"

Now Natasha was intrigued, she placed her elbows on the table and leaned forwards a bit. "Change how?"

"I may just have been hallucinating, but…" Darcy thought for a minute "I think his eyes changed, they stopped glowing and he seemed chocked." She bit her lip as she thought of how his face had looked like when he stared at her. "He didn't look so manic as he did during the invasion or when he appeared in the shield lab" she knew because she had seen that file. She didn't have clearance but she had a boss who didn't care about it (thanks Tony).

"What happened after that?" Natasha asked and Darcy made a face as she thought about what had happened.

"Four chitauri dropped down from one of the hovers and landed around me, I guess I was a threat. I thought I was going to die..." She sighed and took a deep breathe. Steve leaned forward.

"Take your time Darcy, there's no need to rush" he said with a smile and she nodded at him.

"I'm fine. Anyways, they didn't have time to attack me because Loki killed them first" she remembered the sound of the scepter slicing into the throat on one of the chitauri and the gurgling sounds it made as it choked on its own tar looking blood. She also remembered the feeling of being pressed into Loki's chest as he pulled her against him to kill his servants.

Darcy fought down the blush that almost rose on her cheeks. "When they were dead he just turned to the tesseract panel and shut it off with the scepter somehow, and the portal closed" she didn't mention how he had stared at her and kept her close to him while that was happening.

"He did it all on his own? You didn't threaten him into doing it?" The black widow asked and Darcy had to laugh.

"Have you seen me? How could I possibly threaten him? I even forgot my taser on my desk when I ran to check the shields" she smacked herself on the forehead in an attempt at comic relief but it didn't seem to work well with any of the agents actually. The captain looked confused and the super spy was pensive looking.

"Why would he do that?" Steve asked, mostly as a rhetorical question since none of them knew the answer. Natasha looked at Darcy, the woman might not know the reason why it had happened, but she was definitely important.

"He gave me the scepter" Darcy said and the agents snapped out of their thoughts to look at her. "He gave me the scepter and then he got down on his knees, like he was being arrested. Then Thor came back and I handed it to him and he told me to go back to Jane, and I did." She had then collapsed into the scientist's arms as she finally let the events of the last fifteen minutes catch up with her.

"Did he say anything to you?" Steve asked.

"When he gave me the scepter, he said that it was over, and that he wouldn't harm me" Darcy said and then bit her lip when she was done.

Both agents looked at each other and the young woman was glad that their attention was away from her for once. Darcy wasn't comfortable with not understanding why everything had unfolded the way it had. Sure everything had worked out relatively well for earth, but it was still clouded in a mystery.

The mystery taking the shape of the God of mischief and lies that was currently locked up in a max detention shield facility awaiting judgement. He had started an invasion, people had been killed, buildings had been destroyed which left hundreds of people homeless. Then he had stopped it, effectively closed off the portal, and killed all chitauri in one sweep. Because of what? Her? That didn't make sense at all, she was human, practically an insect to him. She didn't understand why he had looked at her the way he had when he gave her the scepter, " _it's over now, I won't harm you…not after the wait I have had"_ his suddenly green eyes had looked up at her with something that reminded her of relief, and awe...

Darcy followed Steve and Natasha out of the interrogation room and was then walked out of the facility by them as well, their conversation mainly consisted of 'stay close', 'there are people you can talk to if you want' and 'is Tony's taco night still on?', she really needed to oversee that event. Missing taco night was a horrible thing to endure.

With lighter thoughts of tacos and what to put on her taco playlist for that night, Darcy left Shield and gods behind her.


	3. 3

The first thing Loki had asked for after he had been incarcerated was to see Thor. Not because of brotherly love or because of any hope that the thunder god might get him out of the small metallic/glass chamber, _oh no_. Because of a rage so strong that he made the air vibrate around him with magic despite the shackles around his wrists, Asgardian shackles made to block his magic.

It didn't block all his magic, his brother must have known that. Wonder if he had told the rest of his little friends? Probably not, or else they would have had more than just 4 guards outside his prison. Let them underestimate him, it would just make for a sweet surprise when he showed them the full extent of his power one day, it also wasn't his intent to flee. At least not yet, to get what he wanted he needed to stay here.

He turned to one of the guards outside the big glass window. "It has been three days, where is Thor?" The guard continued to look ahead with a stony expression. Loki snorted out a laugh at the guards attempt at indifference. Despite his stony expression he was still visibly afraid of the god next to him.

Loki looked straight into the camera above the glass window inside his cell, cocked his head to the side and smirked. "I'm waiting"

* * *

_"I'm waiting"_

"What's his end game for this?" Bruce Banner wondered out loud, tapping his folded glasses against his chin and lips as he watched the monitors inside the lab. The monitors all had a different visual of the cell that they were holding Loki in. The god still stared into one of the cameras with an eerie smile on his face. Bruce looked towards the other God who was leaning against the window on the opposite side of the room, watching Dr. Foster work on the data she collected on the black hole. He looked proud of her, but Bruce had noticed how the thunder God had been unusually pensive since the invasion.

"Are you going to see him?" Bruce asked and Thor turned his gaze from Jane to him. The question got Jane's attention as well and she looked at her boyfriend with concern. She was tired of Loki using Thor as if he was a puppet on a string instead of a brother who actually cared for him. When he thought Loki died he had been devastated, it had taken him so long to start to act like himself again, and Jane had hated seeing him so sad.

"No." Jane stated and crossed her arms over her chest. Thor sighed and turned her way.

"Jane, dearest-"

"No Thor, I have said it before and I will say it again, if you let him into your life he is just going to continue to use you and you deserve better-"

"Jane please" Thor crossed the room and put his hands on her shoulders. "I know how you feel, and I see why you feel the way you do...but he's my brother"

"Who tried to kill you" she said, sounding resigned, she knew where this was going and she didn't like it.

Thor smiled "brothers don't always agree with each other" then he turned serious as he looked towards Banner. "I have important matters to discuss with my little brother. So yes, I will see him. I have merely needed time to think of how to proceed"

"Will you ask him about Darcy?" Jane asked, she was both confused and scared for her assistant. Catching the eye of a murdering alien God was never a good thing, and she wanted Loki far away from everyone she loved.

Thor looked at the monitors of his brother who looked like he was now meditating. "If there is an appropriate moment to do so" Jane frowned. He sounded odd, like he didn't actually want to talk about it.

She was about to comment on it when machines started beeping at the same time as Tony Stark swaggered into the lab. "Greetings children, how is the science going?"

"You are actually right on time for the brain scan results" Bruce said as he went over to the machine that had just beeped, the printer started to print out the brain scans. Tony walked over and leaned over Bruce's shoulder.

"Who's brain are we talking about?" Tony asked and picked up the scan and held it towards the light coming from the window.

"Loki's and Dr. Selvig's. I have a theory about the scepter" Bruce mumbled as he stared at the data appearing on the screen. He then grabbed the scan Tony was holding and the other, then held them up next to each other. He alternated between looking at the computer and the scans and then finally mumbled. "I was right"

He took his glasses off and put them in his shirt pocket. "I don't know if that's a good thing though"

Tony picked up the scans "what are you talk about?" While Tony started to analyze the scans and data Bruce turned towards the couple.

"We already knew that Loki didn't do all of this himself, the chitauri came from somewhere and they must have had a leader-"

"Thanos, their commander" Thor interrupted "I consulted with the allfather, and although we believed Thanos to be defeated and shut away from other realms, Loki must have found a way to access his army somehow."

"Defeated?" Jane asked with a frown "Asgard had a war with the chitauri before?"

"Not a war exactly, it was quickly dealt with and not many lives were lost in dealing with them." Thor sighed "Loki played a big part in the fighting back then..." Jane took Thor's hand in hers and the thunder god turned to Bruce again. "I apologize, please continue"

"I think you should tell Natasha about his history with them" Bruce said and Thor frowned.

"Why?"

"She's planning to see him today as well. She is excellent at interrogating people, she managed to trick him when we were on the hovercraft base. Anything she could use on him would probably be helpful" Thor thought about it and then nodded.

"I shall do so" as long as Loki was only interrogated he would aid shield.

"Son of a bitch" Stark burst out and turned towards Banner who nodded at him.

"Yeah" the doctor said with a smile on his face as he watched the wheels turn in the billionaires head.

"Okay, get to the point Bruce" Jane said but it was Tony who answered.

"Loki's head was hijacked too" Bruce sighed at him.

"Not exactly-"

"Hijacked?" Thor asked and Bruce exhaled heavily.

"Let's just let Bruce talk so he doesn't hulk out or anything" Tony said and waved his hand dismissively.

"Thank you. As Tony said, Loki was under a form of control. It's similar to what happened to Dr. Selvig and Barton, but Loki seemed to have a higher level of control than the others." He held up the scans "this area here" he pointed at the frontal lobe of one scan "this area shows extremely low activity, this was scanned about an hour after the scepter was used to shut off the tesseract" he then held up another scan "this was three hours later, now it seems like almost all activity has returned"

"Did they perform any tasks while in the scanners?" Jane asked staring at the scan. She remembered visiting Erik while he was in the hospital, she knew his brain activity was being checked. It seemed so strange to her that one of the most brilliant people she had ever met before could be so disconnected from reality, even after the scepter's hold over him was broken.

"No, this is a neutral state" Bruce said and you could see the excitement playing over his face at these results. "I'm sure that if tasks were performed we would see more activity in the later scan, that means that they have more control over their minds" Bruce added when Thor raised an eyebrow at what was being said. "The scans of Loki's brain from inside the cell suggest that he also regained more activity in the frontal lobe the more time he spent away from the scepter"

"Then who controlled him?" Everyone turned towards the new voice and looked at Natasha who leaned against the door, no one had seen or heard her come in.

"Thanos is the only being known to command the chitauri, it was probably him" Thor said and the widow nodded thoughtfully. "From what I understand based on this conversation, Loki wasn't entirely responsible for his actions. Then he shouldn't be punished as severely as he would have been had he been in full control" Thor said and met the black widows eyes that were intensely fixed on him.

"Not as harshly no, but he shouldn't be coddled either. Hundreds have died" she said meeting Thor's gaze with steel in her eyes. "After we are done with him, you can take him to Asgard to be put on trial there. And if a slap on the wrist is all that he will get from you, I will personally make sure that it's the appropriate punishment for him now"

"He is my brother, but that doesn't wipe away the harm he has done to a realm I have sworn to protect" Thor said surprisingly calm.

"I should hope so" Natasha exhaled "but until then we figure out his end game, he could have easily left by now, correct?" She looked at Thor who nodded. "Then we have something he needs" and she had an inkling as to what it was. She gave the god of thunder a smirk as she asked "now, do you wanna go first or shall I?"


	4. 4

_Smells like roses to me_

_Two young lovers at sea_

_Tastes so bitter, so sweet_

_You're my bang, together we go bang bang bang_

_-Roses_

Loki smiled as he heard the guards move away through the door across his cell and louder steps moved towards him. He opened his eyes and looked at his brother, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh my, don't you look midgardian!" His brot- Thor still had his hammer but was dressed in blue pants, jeans if he recalled correctly, and white shirt with arms that were short enough to show off his entire arms. Loki remembered how girls always loved to fawn over Thor's arm muscles, how utterly annoying it had been.

"I'm here, brother. You wished to see me" in one move Loki flew up from his position leaning against the wall to slam his arms into the glass window in front of Thor.

"Don't you dare to call me brother after what you have done!" He bellowed. Thor was left unmoved by the action, but lights around the room started to flicker or burst from the energy pulsing from Loki's magic that fought against the shackles. His magic stretched out to temporarily disable the cameras around the room.

"You don't need to do that, brother" Thor said and Loki frowned, still burning inside from anger. "I requested the cameras to be turned off for this conversation" neither the man of Fury or Natasha had consented to it easily but as Thor had learned, using the alien prince diplomacy card, as Tony called it, usually solved problems rather easily.

Loki didn't believe him of course. "You knew" he hissed and Thor sighed. "You have known for a long time"

"I learned of it three years ago" he answered calmly and watched as his brother bare his teeth barely controlled anger.

"How dare you keep it from me! I deserved to know-" Loki's scream was interrupted by Thor's even more thunderous one.

"What you deserved!" He bellowed and stared at Loki with disappointment. "What you deserved was to set yourself to right. By the time I realized who she was you were sending the destroyer to earth to kill me. You were hurting people in Midgard and deceiving people in Asgard! Tell me brother, when was I supposed to tell you? After you fell from the bridge?" Thor shook his head. "And now you align yourself with the very beings who brought you so much anger from the start, to hurt and destroy"

Thor looked at his brother, he had always been so hard to read but the fact that he had changed his face into a more stony expression told him that Loki was at least listening to what he was saying.

"So do not claim that you deserved the knowledge of her, or to be with her now, ask yourself instead if she deserves what you have become" Loki stared at him and then turned away and walked towards the wall on the other side of the cell. "I did what I did to protect her, and I will continue to do so" Thor said and waited for a reply.

He waited so long that he actually thought he was never going to get one. Just as he was about to turn around he heard Loki.

"Protect her from what? Me?" Loki's voice suddenly sounded thin and Thor closed his eyes in pain, his brother was always so good at catching onto things that he could turn into self-blame.

"Protect her from the dark" Thor answered and Loki turned around to face him again.

"And am I the dark?" He asked.

"Not truly, but you brought it here and as long as you continue to bring darkness... She won't be there"

Loki suddenly smiled a half smile as he looked down at the floor, lost in sudden reminiscence, and mumbled "stars are meant to illuminate the dark" Thor almost missed it due to his quiet voice, but he had heard those words before and he knew what they meant to his brother.

"That may be. But they can also disappear in it" the two brothers watched each other for a moment. "You were controlled by Thanos"

Loki's face remained impassive as he answered. "His control only worked partially over me. It could only work if I wanted the invasion to happen" he shrugged with a smirk "and evidently I did"

"And then you stopped" Thor stated and Loki's smile fell and he looked down at the floor instead.

"Apparently I found something I wanted more" Thor nodded. After a moment of silence Thor started to walk away. "Will you tell them?" Thor turned back to his brother who was leaning against the wall now.

"I have not decided" Loki nodded and then looked up to meet Thor's gaze from across the room.

"What's her name?"

Despite Loki's best effort Thor could still see longing in his brother's eyes as he posed the question. Thor smiled at him.

"Darcy, Darcy Lewis" he then turned to leave, deciding that his brother needed to be alone to process what had been said.

The god of mischief sank down to the floor with his back against the wall. Tasting the name on his lips, Darcy, _Darcy_. At the same time as he felt indescribably happy he also felt devastated. Gods, what had he done? Thor was right, how was he going to fix this? He closed his eyes hard and concentrated on keeping his breathing even, his thoughts then started to drift to large blue eyes, satin curls and deep kisses with red near constant smiling lips.

* * *

 

**Asgard, years before.**

It had started out innocently enough, acknowledging each other's existence by a nod or a curtsy. It then progressed to a lingering interest and glances when the other was not watching. But when the chitauri attacks started the relationship moved to conversations and touching, both had been unavoidable actions since she was a healer and he was a prince who actively fought against the chitauri army and sometimes got injuries from doing so.

To the astonishment of the healers and Loki himself, he had demanded to only receive care from her. He had played it off by saying that she was the only one who didn't talk nonsense as she patched him up and that she annoyed him less than the others. From the smile she had given him and the mischievous glint in her eyes he could tell that she didn't believe him, because she did talk near constantly and a lot of it was nonsense, but the prince had found it entertaining and endearing how she could lose complete track of her mind and just ramble. He had also seen her work and she was obviously skilled in the art of healing, which earned his respect... She was also excellent at banter which he enjoyed immensely when he allowed himself to freely converse with her.

Loki entered the healing ward of the palace and took in the sight of the soldiers wounds and the healers actions to mend them. One healer, she was Eir's assistant, looked up from a patient and saw him and immediately turned around to call out towards the back of the hall.

"Darcy, the prince is here!" She then returned to her work. One of the white curtains that had been placed around the beds to give the wounded some privacy fluttered as the young woman appeared from the inside. Her dark blue healing robes, they had a choice between gray and blue robes and she had gone for the more colorful one to not make the patients more depressed than they had to be, suited her well and billowed a little as she almost skipped towards him. Her dark brown hair was collected in a thick braid to be out of her way when she worked, but a few loose curls had fallen out of it and now framed her face gently. Her blue eyes sparkled with a bit of mischief, as well as her smile, as she stopped before him.

"And here I was hoping that I wouldn't have to see you for a while, your highness" she said teasingly and even added a little curtsy. He bit back a smile at her cheekiness.

"Then who would you have such stimulating conversations with? Your brain would rot away from boredom" he said, fighting to keep a smile off his face. She laughed and linked her arm together with his and led him towards the back of the hall where the room he was usually placed in was located. He could feel her warmth as she leaned into him as they walked.

"Perhaps, perhaps. What have you done this time? You don't seem to be dying-" he scoffed.

"How glad I am that our healers have such an accurate perception so that they can deliver such an excellent diagnosis, well done!" She closed the door to the room and then slapped his arm.

"Oh, shut up and sit down" she said with a blush on her face and nodded towards the table in the middle of the room. He smirked and jumped up on it, letting out an involuntary groan as he did. Her head snapped up at that and she walked closer to him, nearly standing between his legs.

"What's happened?" Concern coloring her features as she looked him over with her usual professional focus.

He sighed "it's really nothing, merely a flesh wound and not even a serious one to be honest"

"I am pretty sure I am the healer so I will decide that" she said with a raised eyebrow. "Show me"

Loki shrugged off the top layer of the light armor he wore when he wasn't fighting and placed it on the table next to him. After removing more pieces of armor he was left in his green shirt which he then pulled over his head to give her a look of the wound on his side.

"Lay down" she commanded and he did so. She leaned closer to his abdomen and he started to concentrate on breathing instead of reacting to the sensation of her satin curls on his stomach. Her fingers then gently touched the skin around the wound and removed the temporary bandages sealing the wound. He glanced down at her. She bit her lip and chewed on it a bit as she studied the wound, a sign that she was thinking.

"For once you were right, it's a mild flesh wound and I should be able to fix it right now without any difficulties" she said as she spun around and walked over to the table of ointments and tools.

He frowned at her from where he was laying, "for once? What-"

"I forgot to say that talking might make it worse" she said in a sing song voice, her back still turned and standing on her toes to reach something on the top shelf. He smirked in amusement and tried not to leer at the way her body swayed as she moved.

When she returned to him she just smiled and started to get to work by rubbing an oil into the wound, it stung only for a moment. They were quiet for a while and Loki laid back and just enjoyed the feel of her hands gently massaging his side. He allowed himself to close his eyes just for a moment and tried to relax, it was surprisingly easy for him to feel comfortable around Darcy. She had an air around her that soothed something deep inside him, what it was that she did exactly he wasn't certain of, if it was her smile or her effortless rambling or her respect, or a combination of it all coupled with her beauty.

"You know" she started, interrupting his thoughts. She was still looking down at what she was rubbing on him "a powerful magic wielder like you, despite a limited knowledge in healing, could still heal a flesh wound like this" she raised her eyes from his chest and met his gaze. "Tell me the truth, did you miss me?" She smiled and then quickly tickled the other side of his abdomen. He slapped her hand and she giggled.

"You infernal woman. I need to save my magic" he sat up when he realized that she was done, and she started to put the lids on the little pots back on. "I may have found a way to seal them away from our realm, and all other realms. But to do that I need all my power"

He looked down at his stomach and the left side just had a bit of pinkish looking skin where his wound had been before, it wouldn't even scar. He turned to look at Darcy and saw that she was already staring at him, or more specifically his body. He smirked internally, he may not be as large as Thor was but he was still considerably strong compared to others, not that a lot of people cared when there was someone like Thor. That was probably why the clear approval on Darcy's face pleased him as much as it did, her opinion of him mattered, why it mattered he wasn't so sure.

"Did you hear me?" He asked and her eyes snapped back to his face, her cheeks red.

"Huh? Yes- right! Preserving power to seal them off" she said and the seemed to realize what that meant because she looked at him with a sudden awe. "Loki that's amazing! Where would they go?" He started to put on his shirt again, to Darcy's great disappointment.

"They would go into the void that keeps the realms apart" he answered and she nodded in understanding. She had read about how the void and Yggdrasil worked together to create the separate realms.

"I hope it works" she said with a smile "it would be nice to not have more people die thanks to them"

They remained silent for another moment. Loki slid off the table, now fully dressed in his armor, and slowly walked the short distance over to Darcy who looked up at him.

"I should leave to see the queen, we must discuss how to proceed with the spell and other details" he said and Darcy shivered a little at how smooth and deep his voice was.

"I wish you the best of luck" she smiled, and then bit her pink lower lip and Loki's stare focused in on the action and he swallowed hard. "I think this is goodbye then, when you succeed in throwing them into the void you won't need my services any longer"

His heart swelled a little at the wording she had used. She was so sure that he was going to succeed, no hesitation or skepticism over his abilities like he received from others.

"I will probably figure out some sort of mischief that will put me in harms way and then be back here in no time" she laughed at him and shook her head.

"Gods, no! When you see me next time you better be in one piece" she met his gaze and her cheeks turned a little pink as she did, but she had decided to be bold, who knew when she might see him next time. He leaned his head to the side just a little and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Fair enough, that seems like something I can manage. It would be nice to meet you without you constantly removing my clothes"

She gasped and he bit back a smirk as she slapped his arm and then threw out "How else will you keep me entertained?" She started to smirk and then covered her mouth in mortification at what she had said. Keeping her thoughts to herself was something that she had never been very good at.

Loki raised his eyebrows and smiled a wicked smile "I have an idea". Darcy could feel her face burning but tried to stand up to him all the same.

"Shouldn't you go see your mother?" He smirked at her and nodded.

"Yes, I should" he started to turn to walk out but after a moment of hesitation he swirled his hand around and the stretched it towards her. In it he held a white star lily that grew in the palace gardens, how could he have possibly known that it was her favorite? She took it and brought it to her face and inhaled the sweet scent.

"It's very beautiful" she smiled shyly at him, then curtsied "thank you, my prince". He shook his head.

"Take it as a gift for your excellent care" he then turned to stride out of the room.

"Didn't you say you had to save your magic?" She said to him and he stopped in the door way and looked back at her.

He tried to act nonchalant as he answered her "I guess I did". Despite being the god of lies with a talent to trick people he had a feeling that the young healer saw through his game at once. She made a 'mhm' sound and then smiled at him.

And in that moment, Loki Odinson looked at Darcy Nordenstierna and thought she was the most beautiful creature in the entire world, and he knew he had to have her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Darcy's flashback name is written in an old Swedish way, Nordenstierna means north star, Norden-North, Stierna-Star. So her name is basically Darcy Northstar. You will find out the origin of that name later in the story. As always hope you liked it and please tell me what you think, any questions you have I will answer in the next author's note.


	5. 5

_The world was on fire and no one could save me but you._

_It's strange what desire will make foolish people do._

_I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you._

_And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you._

_-Wicked game_

The door to Fury's office burst open and in came a slightly frustrated Russian woman. She stopped in front of the desk in the middle of the room and looked towards the man standing at the window with his back to her.

"He won't budge?" he asked and Natasha sighed as she bit out her reply.

"He seems to have made up his mind about staying quiet. I'll go back and try again tomorrow" The spy had decided to try to test the god's patience, she had a lot of it, and now she was sure that she knew what he wanted, just not why he did.

"Did he have any demands?" Fury turned around to look at her, dressed in his usual black getup except his leather duster that hung on his chair, he looked tired. She suspected that the meetings with the directors could have gone better.

"He had ideas of conditions on how we proceed in keeping him captive" she answered evenly and Fury nodded. He had expected as much.

"Does he want us to set him up in a five star hotel and remove his shackles?" the director said sarcastically, even though he knew that the god wasn't restricted by the shackles completely and could have left at any time by now but had stayed in the facility willingly.

"He wants the shackles removed yes" She said "And he has stated that he will not answer any of our questions, from anyone other than Darcy Lewis" the director frowned.

"He has taken a disturbing interest in that woman" he said, thinking out loud.

"Sir, I don't think we should consent to any of the conditions-"

"of course we won't remove the shackles, despite their lack of control over his magic they are useful anyway"

"And we should not let him see her" the spy stated and stared at her boss. "He is obsessed with her for some reason and until we know why I don't think it's safe for her to be anywhere close to him"

"We want answers, Romanoff. Let her interrogate him and see if he opens up"

"Sir, for her own safety-"

"That's an order, agent" Fury said and his one eye let her know that there was no negotiation allowed. She tensed up in annoyance and then walked out the door.

* * *

 

"Tony leave the nachos alone!" Darcy yelled as she saw him take a handful of them again from the table, again. "by the rate you are eating them there won't be any left when the rest of the people come" the whole avengers gang plus James Rhodes, Jane, Pepper and Darcy herself were going to attend taco night. And for that to happened they needed _a lot_ of food, Thor ate a lot on his own but the rest of the gang were almost as bad, save for Jane and Pepper.

"Don't yell at me in my own house Lewis" he called over his shoulder as he threw himself on one of the couches and started to fiddle with a pad in his hand, the music turned on and he threw it down on the rug.

"Then don't invite me to fix your taco nights" she yelled back as she refilled the nachos. After she was done she looked everything over, it looked like everything was done. "Tony, I'm gonna run down to the lab and drag Jane out. Don't touch the nachos!" she yelled over her shoulder as she headed towards the elevator which opened right infront of her to reveal the gorgeous super spy dressed in a white expensive looking top and black tight pants that showed off her killer legs.

"Hi, you're early" Darcy said with a smile.

"We need to talk" Darcy blinked in surprise at the tone of her voice, she was annoyed about something, and when you could tell what Natasha was feeling it was definitely serious.

Darcy nodded "sure, like now or-"

"Right now" the spy answered and started to walk across the room and Darcy followed her. Tony's head popped up over the sofa and he frowned.

"What's with the serious faces? Top secret shield business with my hacker needs to be cleared with me" Darcy raised an eyebrow at him, when did she become his hacker? But at the same time, if she was being recognized as Tony Starks hacker that was a huge career win!

"I forgot my tampons at home but luckily Natasha has some so we are just-"

"Stop, just go!" Tony said over dramatically and laid down on the aid and covered his ears. Men...

Natasha smirked at that but soon turned serious again. The two women walked into the corridor connected to the big living room and then walked into the bathroom, it was the size of Darcy's apartment.

"So what's up?" Darcy asked and tried to sound easygoing but the red head's attitude made her a bit nervous.

"I have tried to stall this as much as I have been able to but Fury knows what I'm doing and he won't tolerate it" she paused. "Loki won't talk, not to me, to Fury or even Thor anymore. His condition for us to get him to talk was that he would only speak to you, and the fucker has practically sowed his lips shut" she met the brunette's wide eyed gaze. "I wouldn't ask this of you at all if it was up to me. But Fury has given me an order now and there will be consequences if I don't approach you about it"

Darcy walked over to the toilet and sat down on the lid. "He actually said he would only speak with me?" Natasha nodded. Her whole posture from her pursed lips to crossed arms over her chest showed how displeased she was about the whole thing.

"But why? This is too much like 'the blacklist', this can't be real" Darcy whined, what could she have possibly done to make this happen?

"That is something only he can answer. We know you are important to him somehow but so far we know next to nothing about why you are"

Natasha kneeled in front of Darcy who was now looking down on the marble tiles of the bathroom floor. Darcy focused on Natasha's gold necklace instead and then her eyes, who were surprisingly expressive.

"Whatever you decide to do Darcy, I won't let him hurt you. This is entirely your choice" Darcy exhaled heavily.

"I want answers too" Darcy said and laughed a little "I was just hoping that I could get them from someone else"

"Then let's go"

This was not how Darcy had planned to spend taco night. She had planned drinking games with sangria and maybe eating too much fajita chicken, not going to a shield detention facility to interrogate a psychopathic alien prince.

She glanced at Natasha who stood next to her in the elevator looking as composed as ever. She has put on a black leather jacket before they entered the facility so she didn't look as out of place in her party get up as Darcy did. She wore a light blue peasant top that showed off her shoulders, with small white flowers embroidered around the neckline, very old and worn black jeans and normal black wedges. She was lucky she hadn't pinned the sparkly pink miniature sombrero to her hair yet, that would have been extremely awkward.

The elevator stopped and both women stepped out into what looked like a control room, there was a one way window that the desks faced towards, and it gave a full view of the space below.

In the concrete space below there was 4 guards surrounding a glass and metal chamber, and inside it sat the Norse god of mischief and lies and leaned against the wall.

"Hello Darcy" Darcy's attention snapped away from the man in the cell to the very handsome man standing in front of her.

"Hey Clint" Darcy found herself too nervous to actually say anything more so he turned to Natasha.

"How is he?" She asked and Clint shrugged.

"Still a self-entitled little shit who won't talk, and big brother won't let me use violence to change that" he said and Darcy once again turned her head to the side to look at the prince in the cage.

"I meant his mood"

"He hasn't moved a muscle in about four hours" he turned to look at Darcy "how's taco night going?"

She smiled a little "it's fabulous, there are even Mexican themed party hats. Some of them aren't even racist" Clint laughed a little and then nodded towards the cell below.

"He's all yours. I'll report back to Fury and tell him you're here and then I'll head to Tony's" the two agents nodded at each other and Clint left. Natasha led Darcy over to yet another elevator looking door down a small corridor where they met two other guards.

One of them stepped forward as they walked up to them. "Sorry ma'm, she needs to be searched for concealed weapons-"

"That's an excellent idea" Natasha said and pulled up her badge "with the slight adjustment that you give her a weapon instead that she can conceal" the guard looked at her badge and then handed it back to her.

"Of course ma'am" and Darcy's eyebrows flew up to her hairline as the guard handed her a gun that had been strapped to his thigh.

She held up her hand in protest "huh no- but thanks, I'm against guns" she was about to ask if he had a taser when Natasha turned to her with a sharp turn of her head.

"Even when you are about to see the man who invaded New York with an alien army?" She asked with a sardonic expression.

"If he wanted to hurt or kill me he would have done it when I met him wouldn't he?" Darcy asked and gestured frustrated with her hands. "You guys seem to be so sure that I'm important so why would he hurt me now that I am finally where he wants me to be?" She looked at the guard. "Do you have a taser"

He nodded and pulled something from his other thigh, it ripped away with a velcro sound and he handed the small black box to her. Darcy looked at Natasha "I'm very supportive of tasers, at least I have something with me"

Natasha exhaled and nodded, then looked at the guard "get us down". They stepped into the elevator and when the doors closed Darcy found herself a bit calmer than before. Trying to reassure Natasha that she would be okay must have worked more to her own advantage.

"What do I do?" Darcy could feel her heart beat a bit faster, there went her four calm seconds.

"You try to find out what he wants with you, his reason for invading earth, how much he was controlled by Thanos and anything else that you may find significant at the time"

Darcy nodded and Natasha was a little impressed by how the younger woman had taken everything in stride. A lesser woman would have run away from the situation and hoped that it would solve itself.

The elevator came to a stop and Darcy exhaled loudly from her mouth and inhaled through her nose and tried to get her heart to slow down. Natasha put a hand on her shoulder.

"Be careful what you tell him about yourself, he can use it against you to try to hurt you" Natasha squeezed her shoulder and then let her hand drop to her side as the elevator doors slid open.

When the doors were fully parted the women stepped out, and Darcy fell in a step behind Natasha.

The god on the other side of the room had heard the doors open and from without lifting his gaze he knew it was the red woman again from the sound of her steps. He sighed internally, she was annoyingly persistent with her attempts at interrogating him even though he never said anything at all. His eyes snapped open as he heard another pair of steps enter his prison. He raised his gaze from the floor towards the women that approached his cell, his eyes widened, she had come at last. He rose to his feet in one fluid motion and walked closer to the glass that separated them.

Darcy's gaze slowly lifted from the floor to him and when she saw that he was looking at her she looked at the red woman. They stopped further away from his cell than the woman usually did, the agent looked at him.

"Our end of the deal is done" Natasha said and Darcy nearly jumped in surprise. "Now talk"

The god turned his gaze from Darcy to the other woman and narrowed his eyes. "Not with you and your guards in the room" that was the first time he had spoken in nearly four days and his voice was hoarse.

Natasha narrowed her eyes at him "that was not a part of the deal"

"Does it matter? Miss Lewis is already here and I am incapacitated, and you'll be hiding behind your mirror keeping constant vigilance over her" he turned his gaze to Darcy who shivered as his cold eyes met hers. "Or do you object? Because I can continue to meditate instead"

Darcy looked at Natasha and she had a feeling someone was talking to her through her earpiece. Natasha looked at her with a questioning look and Darcy nodded in reply.

Natasha sighed. "Fine, but the guards stay"

"Deal" the god of mischief said with a smirk and Natasha walked over to the elevator. As the elevator opened Darcy heard more steps and she turned around to see four other guards join the ones that were already in the room. She smiled a little at that and then swallowed hard before turning her gaze towards the god who was staring at her silently.

For a long time there was nothing but silence as the two of them looked at each other. Darcy noted that despite being locked in a cell with shackles around his wrists Loki still looked like he thought he was in control. He didn't look as pale as the first time she saw him, and his eyes were green now. He looked good... still crazy though.

"You are afraid of me" he smirked a little at the discrete signs of how her entire body tried to shield itself from him, her clear blue eyes met his again and she frowned.

"Yes" she figured that there wasn't a point in lying to the god of lies.

"You don't have to be" she snorted a little at that and he frowned slightly.

"Yeah sure, you just invaded New York with an alien army that killed lots of people, I think I'll decide when I stop being afraid"

A muscle in his jaw moved as he clenched them and she wanted to hit herself for thinking that it was attractive. Jaws were her Achilles heel, and this guy despite being nutty and all had a delicious jaw structure, and overall bone structure. _Bad Darcy!_

"I apologize for that" Darcy's eyebrows nearly touched her hairline in surprise and disbelief at what he said. "It was never my intention to kill people, I know how fragile midgardians are"

"Why did you come to earth?" Loki was proud to see a little steel in her eyes as she asked the question. But he didn't answer. She bit her lower lip a little in frustration and he nearly smiled at the action that had been so familiar to him years ago.

"How much control did Thanos have over what you did?" She tried again and he cocked his head to the side and watched her with a smile on his face.

"What?" She glared at him and he laughed a little. And leaned his forearms against the glass next to his head.

"These aren't your questions, Darcy" he glanced up at the one way window where they both knew the red woman would observe them. He looked back at Darcy.

"Ask one of your own first, I'll answer, and then I get to question you"

This was a bad idea, she knew that. "Fine" she met his green eyes who looked expectantly back at her. "What do you want with me?"

He smiled a crooked smile "I want so many things with you. My turn-"

"That's not an answer!"

"It wasn't a very specific question" he smirked and Darcy crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

"Now, do you feel safe on earth?" The question made her frown.

"Yes, when maniacs don't send down aliens or killer robots to kill my friends or me, I do feel safe!" He looked frustrated and his jaw did that clench and unclench thing again.

"And I apologize for that"

"Oh well then its fine" sarcasm dripping from every word. They stared at each other for a moment and then Loki smirked a little.

"What is my punishment then?" Darcy took a step closer to the cell and she noticed how Loki's eyes seemed to go over every part of her body as though he was studying her, he met her gaze and if she wasn't completely crazy it looked like he liked of what he saw.

She continued to walk all the way up to the cell and stopped a few feet away from it, she had to look up to meet his eyes, both because of his height and raised platform the cell was placed on. "Your punishment depends a lot on what you tell us about the invasion, the more you cooperate with Shield the easier this will be for you" she lowered her eyes for a second and then looked back up at Loki. "Can you tell me how much control Thanos had over you at the time of the invasion?"

This time Loki didn't smirk, he looked like he was thinking. "What's your favorite flower?"

The question was unexpected and Darcy couldn't help but smile a little at the randomness of it. Loki saw the little smile and had to force his face to remain impassive, her smiles had always been contagious and hard to resist.

"Lilies, I guess" Loki just nodded at her answer and then sighed, sounding very resigned.

"Thanos control over me was only partial, I strongly suspect that it would have grown stronger over time as the tesseract wore down my mind, but at the time of the invasion he needed me to want the invasion to happen to actually see it through"

"What did he control?" Loki's eyes snapped to Darcy's and he started to walk around in his cell, the memories made him uncomfortable and he couldn't stomach seeing her at the same time as he had to speak of them.

"Sometimes I can't remember" Darcy couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for the god at that moment, he sounded genuinely disturbed by it "I would wake up from a trance like state and have blood on my hands, or have new followers I didn't take control of myself. Sometimes he would talk through me, to the chitauri at the time of the attack especially"

"Why did you want to invade New York?" Loki scoffed and rubbed his hand over his face.

"That is for another time"

"Because of Thor?" Darcy realized only after she posed the question that it had been a bad idea. Loki's body had gone impossibly still and rigid. "If you don't want to talk about it…" Loki turned around slowly and Darcy resisted the urge to back away from the cell, the cold hatred in Loki's gaze scared her.

"It's always about him is it not?" his voice was filled with disdain. "There is no equal to him"

Darcy frowned at what the god said. She knew that Loki's and Thor's relationship wasn't the best, but Thor had been genuinely destroyed when he thought Loki died. How could their relationship be so one sided?

"Why did you stop the chitauri?" Loki stopped his pacing inside the cell and walked over to the glass again.

"Because I am destined to fail at everything it seems. I have always been destined to hurt and destroy, but as soon as my purpose was laid out before me I had to deviate from it because of one simple mistake" he said in a self-depreciating tone and he was much more quiet than he had been before, as if wanting to avoid Shield from hearing him. Darcy couldn't understand half of what he was talking about and she didn't understand why he would be destined to destroy, but she did feel like this was something he thought was too private to talk about in front of people he didn't know.

"What mistake are you talking about?" Darcy asked and Loki pushed off the glass and walked back to the wall to lean on it. She quickly decided to skip the Shield questions for now, she wanted answers to some of her own.

"Why am I important to you?" though the question sounded extremely narcissistic but Loki didn't seem to take it as such. He looked at her with a little smile, not a menacing one but more like he was lost in thought as he considered her question.

"I can answer all your questions, and probably more, if you come with me to Asgard" Darcy frowned.

"You are not going to Asgard anytime soon, its better if you tell me now" this time Loki did smirk at her.

"You would not believe me"

* * *

 

Darcy had gone back to talk to Loki a few times after that. She ignored how his eyes changed when he looked at her, because she didn't understand why he would always look so content when she was around, and she ignored the pleasant shivers that she got from when he looked her over, because that was taking the bad boy fetish a bit too far.

Their talks, as she called them since she was too unprofessional to call it interrogations, were good. He had answered most of Shields questions except from why he both started and stopped the invasion, Darcy had actually told Fury, and he was a scary man, that his reasons weren't as nefarious as they believed. Darcy and Thor had talked about it and had settled for the explanation that Loki wanted to piss off Thor by attacking a realm that Thor had sworn to protect. Fury wasn't entirely convinced but he had settled for it none the less, probably so that he could get the punishment for Loki going.

Loki's punishment was to help rebuild New York for as long as that took and aid SHIELD whenever they had use of him, when the god himself had been told he had looked surprised over it, maybe he thought it was too easy, and in all fairness it was. Darcy suspected that Thor had something to do with it, and it made her wonder how hard the punishment on Asgard would be. When she had asked Thor about it he had just quietly shaken his head, which was definitely not good.

But right now Darcy didn't feel sympathetic towards the god at all. Natasha and Fury had told her what questions to ask, they had been about the tesseracts abilities, the scepter, and the chitauri and eventually when they were happy with the information they received Darcy asked her own questions and Loki would just smirk and tell her to come with him to Asgard, and that was not going to happen.

"He' playing with you" Jane said as she tinkered with one of her devices and listened to Darcy rant about how Loki wouldn't tell her what she wanted.

Darcy ran her fingers through her hair in frustration and continued to pace through the lab. "I know he's playing me! He got me all curious about why he seemed to know me and why I'm special, and now he won't tell me why! Why does he want me to go to Asgard, why-" Jane slammed her tracking device against the desk and spun around to face the now stunned to silence Darcy. There was a determination in the scientist's eyes that surprised Darcy.

"Darcy, when I say he's playing you I don't mean like that. He is tricking you into thinking that you mean something to get what he wants" Jane stood and walked over to Darcy who looked very sceptic about the scientist's suggestion. Jane took Darcy's hands and squeezed them. "I don't mean this in any insulting way Darcy, but how could you mean something to him if you have never met before?"

Darcy opened her mouth to say something and then closed it and shook her head. "No, I see what you're saying Jane but-"

"Darcy, please" Jane pleaded. "You saw what he tried to do to Thor in New Mexico, and what he did just months ago here. He isn't a good person, and despite your sarcastic attitude you do try to see the good in others. I don't want you to get hurt by trying to see the good in Loki or by being caught in his mind games"

Darcy felt herself get a little teary eyed as Jane talked. What she said made perfect sense, Loki wasn't called god of mischief and lies for nothing, from the stories Thor had told them, although he had told them lovingly, it was clear that Loki was a master at deception and that he could play mind games on even the most rational people.

"I hear you Jane" Jane let out a relieved breath. "You think he has been playing me this whole time? But what happened at Stark tower during the invasion..." Both women thought back to the day when Loki had given Darcy the scepter and surrendered.

"Maybe he wanted to be caught, he may be planning something against shield that requires him to be in their facility to be able to carry out" Darcy nodded slowly at what Jane said.

"Could be"

"...and he may hope that he can manipulate you enough to carry out tasks for him against shield? That would explain why he would request to only talk to you"

"Except now he barely talks to me at all"

"He could be trying to get you to want to come to him"

Both women were silent for a while as they thought about Jane's theory. It did absolutely make sense, Darcy wanted to smack herself in the face, how could she have let him get to her? Darcy groaned.

"Fuck I'm stupid" Jane smiled at her.

"Of course you're not! I would never hire a stupid assistant" Darcy gave her a look and the scientist laughed. "Come on, for once I think it's okay for us to leave the lab before eight"

Jane picked up her bag and her coat and started to walk towards the exit, Darcy snorted out a laugh as she picks up her own coat and bag.

"We need to get you checked out by a doctor, this can't be good for the science juice in your brain" Jane laughed and held her hand towards her forehead, as if to check if it was warm.

"You're right I don't feel very sciency"

"We need ice cream, peanut butter cups and caramel sutra, Doctor Darcy's orders"

Jane laughed as the stepped into the elevator. Feeling very pleased that she managed to make Darcy see through Loki's game, or supposed game. To Jane it didn't matter what Loki's end game was, whatever he was planning the astrophysicist wouldn't let him take her assistant and best friend, or let him hurt Thor any more than he already had.


	6. 6

_When your time runs out_  
_And you're looking for a place to land_  
_I step from the shadow_  
_Into the palm of your hand_  
_When you're out of luck_  
_I'll be what you're looking for_

_-I can change_

**Asgard, years before**

"Protect the prince!" Heimdall commanded as he ran over to the entrance of the observatory at the start of the bridge. Loki rolled his eyes but kept chanting the spell, the circle of runes around him started to spin and glow a vibrant shade of blue and he could feel the magic hum in the air. The soldiers around him looked on warily, they didn't understand magic and therefor didn't trust it, _fools_.

He heard heavy thuds on the roof of the observatory and heard the guards call out to each other to be ready. Loki raised his eyes towards the black hole right in front of the observatory, he could feel whatever was on the other side call out to him, and it was as frightening as it was appealing. He closed his eyes and kept chanting, the runes now glowing red.

He opened his eyes soon afterwards when he heard the guardian of the Bifrost stop in front of him. The giant Heimdall looked down at Loki and then at the soldiers running out onto the bridge to watch if more chitauri came from above.

"The chitauri are coming here, reinforcement is on its way from the lake border. It should not be long" he then looked down and studied the runes. Knowing the spell would soon reach completion he unsheathed his giant golden sword and gave it to the prince. He would need it to cut through realities to reach the void. The prince nodded at him and Heimdall left to join the soldiers who could be heard screaming as they fought the chitauri.

Loki lifted the sword and stared into the black hole, its inky tentacles reaching out towards Asgards border. He could feel sweat trickle down from his forehead and he could feel his magic reserves start to vane slightly. He lifted the sword, despite its size he found it surprisingly light, he ran his left hand along the side of it until he had a cut across his hand. He swallowed hard and continued to chant, ignoring the feeling of his blood running down his fingers, and then pointed the sword towards the black hole just as more chitauri ships flew through. He heard them land on the roof of the observatory and let out disgusting growls and screams as they did.

He screamed out the end of the chant and then sliced through the air with the sword. In that moment he could see all the realms through that cut, and he could see the void, the nothing that separated them. He threw the sword to the ground and then raised his arms, bringing the violently spinning glowing gold runes up with them.

"I banish thee" he hissed and threw the circle out towards the black hole where the chitauri came from. The runes seemed to surround it and and burn it until there was a ball of fire floating in the space outside the observatory. The chitauri screamed more violently than before and Loki had to smile, good, let the beasts be angry, there's more satisfaction in killing them then.

But now it was time to end it before he could no longer control the flames, it would not do well to let them take Asgard as well. He held out his bleeding hand towards the ball of fire engulfing whatever was on the other side on the black hole, he concentrating very hard on the flames, and then closed his fist and pulled it back. He screamed, it felt like the flames were inside his body and burning his skin and he could hear chitauri screams from the flames inside him.

"Loki!"

The air suddenly turned impossibly still, until Loki threw his hands out to his sides and a wave of red hot energy flooded from him. Knocking the recently arrived soldiers off their feet and some into the walls of the observatory. Loki closed the tear between the realms and then fell down to his knees, the floor around him shattered and charred black from the fire.

"Loki!" His brother, it had to be Thor. His legs gave way even more and he fell forward to lean on all fours when Thor ran up to him. Thor kneeled on the floor and pulled Loki up by the shoulders so that he could lean on him, he was pale and sweating and breathed heavily, but he looked pleased.

"You did it" the thunder God laughed and Loki smiled and nodded.

"I fucking did" Thor stood up and dragged Loki up with him, then embraced him and clapped him on the back hard. Loki had to hold back a cough that Thor slapped out of him.

Thor let him go and they turned towards the exit where the soldiers and Sif and the warriors three waited. Thor laid Loki's arm over his shoulders to support his weight and Fandral ran forward to take his other side.

"We should return to the castle to tell the king and queen what happened" Thor nodded at Sif's words.

"We shall, bring a horse for my brother-" everyone came to a stop as the bells from the palace watchtowers started to ring. Everyone turned wide eyed towards the palace and then to Thor, trusting him to order them what to do even though it was pretty obvious.

"Run back and defend the town! The palace has enough guards to protect itself until we arrive!" Thor bellowed out and the soldiers started to run, Volstagg, Hogun and Sif dividing them into three groups to follow them as they did. Thor looked at Loki who's breathing had evened out somewhat.

"Can you run brother" Thor considered leaving him here with Heimdall if that wasn't the case, his brother wasn't fighting ready. But Loki smirked and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Run? I can do better" the blondes on either side of him frowned and glanced at each other, Loki closed his eyes and the fighters felt a wave of dizziness strike them until they suddenly landed in a corridor in the palace. Fandral whipped around to stare incredulously at Loki.

"Where in the palace are we?"

Thor also studied their surroundings, he recognized the tree carvings on the wall and the giant pillars and decided that they must be in the corridor leading to the throne room.

"Loki! Thor!" Both turned towards the balcony from where their names had been called. Frigga half ran towards them, her gold robe and blue dress billowing. "There are a group of them already in the village and another just broke into the southern lower level, there are guards but I fear they're not enough"

Loki's eyes widened. "The healing ward?" Frigga nodded and opened her mouth to speak more but Loki had already vanished.

"Fandral we must go to town" Thor clasped his mother's hand and then started to run away, Fandral running next to him.

Frigga hurried back to the balcony to continue with her protection spell, trying to put her worry for her children out of her mind, and also what could have prompted such a reaction from Loki in the healing ward.

On the other side of the palace Darcy screamed as the guard in front of her was run through by one of the chitauri's horrible looking spears. There was maybe fifteen or twenty chitauris fighting against ten Asgardian guards, and ten healers trying to get their wounded to safety. Most of the ward had been cleared and now all that was left was to run, but they needed time since many of the soldiers couldn't do that.

Darcy picked up the spear the dead soldier had used and threw it towards one of the monsters, and it actually hit it in the throat and it keeled over. Her father had evidently succeeded in teaching her to handle weapons successfully, although it surprised her. She ran over to grab another spear when one of the chitauri ran towards her.

It bellowed out a scream and raised its sword to strike down on her and she screamed and closed her eyes. She lay on the floor in shock for a while until she realized nothing had happened and opens her eyes. The body of the chitauri had fallen to its side in front of her, and next to it laid its severed head. Her eyes snapped up when she heard more chitauri scream, she felt her heart leap in her chest when she saw Loki, pale and tired looking, holding a silver shining whip in his hands snapping it towards the chitauri. When the whip hit it cut through the skin and bone of the chitauri at once.

The way he moved when he fought was mesmerizing and she didn't do anything but stare at him as he took another head from one of the monsters. There were only few left now. He was about to lash out with the whip again when his eyes met hers.

"Darcy run!" His shout made Darcy finally snap out of whatever residual shock she had been in and realize what was happening. Sure there weren't many chitauri left but one of them were coming straight for her when it finally got the soldiers fighting it out of its way. It was larger than the others, and looked more reptilian in its face, it had more tools than the others and judging by the look of them this one had to be some sort of scout, it had binocular looking things hanging from its belt.

Darcy turned around and started to run as quickly as she could towards the back door at the end of the hall, jumping over thrashed beds and other equipment, but she could hear the monster catching in on her. She could feel panic taking over her and she almost missed the sword on the ground laying a few feet in front of her. _She could make it!_

She was hit in the back by something that felt like a huge fist and lost all balance and fell to the ground violently. Despite the pain in her back and over all body she turned around on her back so she could see the chitauri now walking threateningly towards her. She hissed as she tried to get up and looked down at her palm, it had a deep cut in it, probably from the broken vials on the floor she must have rolled in.

The chitauri screamed at her and Darcy whimpered in fright but tried not to cry. She did all she could to get backwards without using her damaged hand, but the chitauri was coming towards her too quickly for her to think that she could make it.

It bellowed out a scream suddenly and whipped around to look behind it. A flash of green suddenly appeared in front of Darcy and she nearly cried out in relief when Loki was standing in front of her. He raised his arm to lash out with the whip at the creature's back when it suddenly turned around an lunged itself at him with a grotesque looking sword in its hand. The whip took one arm, but the sword went into the front of Loki's shoulder and partly his chest.

"No!" Darcy only realized that she was the one who screamed after Loki had fallen to the floor. The chitauri pulled out its sword from Loki's shoulder and his body convulsed a little when it did. The whip started to disintegrate, it must have been made from Loki's magic.

Darcy threw herself over to his side and pressed her hands on the wound. She looked up at the chitauri who pulled back his arm to strike again. She looked down and met Loki's wide green eyes for only a second before she threw her body over his to cover him.

"Darcy!" Loki's voice was nearly drowned out by the scream of the chitauri behind them, and suddenly everything went quiet. Darcy raised her head from Loki's neck and looked back just as the chitauri fell to the floor with two arrows straight through its head, and Hogun and more soldiers arrive through the entrance. Hogun had a bow in his hand and the silent warrior met her wide eyed stare.

"Please help, Loki is hurt!" Hogun and maybe 5 soldier ran to them while the rest helped the wounded.

"Darcy calm down" she looked down at Loki who gave her a shaky smile. "It's not that bad" Darcy gaped at him, her hands were still pressing down on his wound that was leaking blood.

"Are you crazy?" Loki croaked out a laugh and then grimaced in pain. "Your magic won't help with the healing as much now, not with the work you did earlier" despite her rising worry for his wound she smiled down at him "I'm so proud of you"

"What?" Loki frowned, he started to feel a chill in his body, it was a huge contrast to what he felt when he closed the chitauri portal. Darcy looked down at him with a smile and the chill stopped to matter.

"I watched from the balcony, I saw the black hole burn"

Hogun crouched beside Darcy and seconds later soldiers joined them. Darcy looked at the soldiers. "I need gauze, lots of it, poppy and star lily extracts , and Eir" she nodded towards the end of the hall "they fled that way" they spread out to look for what she needed.

"What about the town?" Loki asked and they both looked at Hogun.

"It is secure"

Loki nodded and let his head fall back. A soldier ran up to Darcy with gauze and she instructed him to put over the wound, she quickly switched the placement of her hands and pressed the gauze down, hard. She could see Loki's jaw clench as she pressed.

"I won't die in your arms then, Darcy?" Another soldier that Darcy recognized as the husband of one of her colleagues ran up to her with the poppy and star lily extracts.

"You won't die Loki, don't be so dramatic" she said while nodding towards Hogun to take the vials, and he did.

"But what arms to die in..." Darcy paused and looked down at Loki who smiled mischievously at her. The look and line would have easily made her swoon had he not looked so pale and weak and covered in his own blood.

"Hogun, make him drink the whole poppy vial and then I want you to pour five drops of star lily extract into his wound" star lilies were not only pretty but excellent for cleaning and sterilizing wounds.

Hogun held the poppy vial to Loki's lips and he drank it and then coughed, it tasted horribly despite all good it did with numbing pain.

"Get something to carry him on, I need to move him to the soul forge" she heard the door on the other end open and Eir and other healers paced through While the soldiers placed a sheet on the floor next to Loki so that they could carry him, Darcy studied Loki's condition. He looked very tired, the poppy seemed to take quick effect, but he still looked pale, probably from the blood loss.

"Loki" he's half lidded eyes met her's "everything is going to be okay"

He smiled drowsily "perfect...you're always so perfect Darcy" he tried to lift his hand but it dropped down to his side again. If she didn't have to keep pressure on his wound she would have held it.

"So are you Loki" she whispered, not even sure if he heard her, his eyelids fluttered a little until they remained closed. Eir and Essa, another healer Darcy's age, joined her next to him and together they helped the soldier get him up on the sheet to make the short trip to the soul forge room.

Darcy worked with Eir long into the night to ensure Loki would recover quickly and that there was no infections in his body from the chitauri sword. After several hours of tending to the wound Eir finally sat down. There was nothing more they could do. The older healer looked over at Darcy, the young woman looked unusually troubled, but it wasn't every day that they were attacked by foreign beings so maybe it was to be expected.

"All he needs now is rest, we have done all we can" she said and Darcy's eyes moved from the wound on the prince's now bare shoulder to meet her gaze. Darcy nodded and bit her lip. Eir sighed and stood once more.

"Go, girl. Get some rest, you had a very trying day today. I'll wash the wound and then-"

"I can do it" Darcy interrupted and Eir closed her mouth and looked at the girl. "I'm not tired, I'll wash his wound and wait until he is moved to his quarters"

Eir took in Darcy's appearance, the dark circles forming under her eyes and her frizzy hair that was escaping her braid. Eir nodded.

"Alright, but I insist you sleep longer tomorrow morning" Darcy smiled and nodded.

"I will" Eir gave her a closed lipped smile and slowly walked to the door leading from the room. Darcy started to pick out a wash basin, a rag, and different vials that could be used to clean the damage thoroughly.

"Darcy dear" Eir turned around to look at the younger girl "I am very proud of you" Darcy smiled a shy smile and started to fiddle with her nails.

"Thank you, Eir"

"But do be careful" Darcy met her gaze and looked confused for a moment until Eir's gaze moved to the sleeping prince then back at Darcy "You are a sweet girl, and your heart should not have to break because of differences in status" Eir then left the room.

Darcy stood and gaped a moment after she left and then swallowed down the lump in her throat. She turned to wash Loki's wound instead. She was already aware of the problems their relationship could possibly have, he was a prince and even though her family was of high status it was not enough for their relationship to be considered proper. And especially not now when she was a healer instead of wandering around court, but she wouldn't want to be anything else.

She would always be there to patch him up and to talk, but she couldn't be anything else, no matter how beautiful she thought he was or how many sweet words he said to her.

_"you're always so perfect Darcy"_

She shook her head and tried to ignore the impossible joy she felt when she remember that he had actually called her perfect, but she had drugged him of course so maybe it didn't count, but to her heart it did.

Later that night Frigga and her personal guards entered the room and saw Loki, covered by blankets with a bandage wrapped around his shoulder and torso, and next to him sleeping on a chair with her head resting on the bed was a young healer. Frigga walked over to the young woman and brushed her long dark hair away from her face, her lips were opened slightly and her eyelids fluttered when Frigga brushed her hair back. But despite the girls slightly disheveled appearance there was no mistaking who she was, she looked so much like her mother after all.

After rousing Darcy and moving Loki to his rooms Frigga sat by his bedside and stroked his hair, like she used to do when he was a child and was sick. She had an idea of where her son's mind had been when she had seen him stare into nothing, and why he had taken such an interest in reading her books concerning healing magic.

Not that it was a bad thing right now, there were worse things that could occupy her son's mind than Darcy Nordenstierna. Frigga started to hum gently as she stroked his dark hair and he twitched a little in his sleep.

All she wished was for both her sons to find themselves, and then find true love. It is after all harder to love someone if you don't know who you are or accept yourself.

* * *

Two days after the battle Frigga walked down the palace corridors towards Loki's quarters and came in time to see a frustrated Eir being escorted out of the room by her oldest son who seemed to make excuses in order to calm the ruffled healer.

"Thor, Eir" Frigga said in greeting and both bowed slightly in greeting "Is something the matter?" The question was directed at Eir but a quick glance at Thor let him know that his mother expected him to give an account as well.

Eir sighed slightly as she gave her answer "Your grace, the prince is recovering quickly now that his magical stores are returning to full capacity and his wound is healing nicely...But his mood is..." While the healer looked for a polite enough way to say that he was acting like an arse, Thor looked to his mother.

"It is not the best. But I expect it is because of how he is restricted to his bed and just bored" Thor said and Frigga nodded, she suspected Thor to be right, but the boredom may be coming from the wrong sort of company. It seemed like the time to test her theory had come sooner than expected, marvelous.

"I see. Well if he is recovering as well as you say I see no problem in him being taken care of by another healer of lower ranking than you, my friend. You must after all be needed in the healing ward to oversee the reparations and inventories, and I am sure that the less experienced healers would feel better with you around for help if they should need it." Frigga smiled pleasantly and Eir seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you your grace, I shall send someone suitable for the afternoon examination" She turned to leave as Frigga added something, as if just remembering it.

"Oh! Would you send Lady Nordenstierna for that task? I understand that my son thinks she is competent and I would like to meet her myself" Even though it was a suggestion, the tone in the queens voice made no mistake in how it had to be done and so Eir nodded, although reluctantly.

"Of course" and Eir walked off in the opposite direction. Frigga turned to her oldest son and smiled at him and linked her arm with her own and started to lead him away, questioning him in how he was feeling and how his friends were holding up.

* * *

Darcy walked down the corridors, nervously fingering her hair and trying to make her look as presentable as possible and straightening every possible wrinkle in her blue robes, she wished she could have worn something prettier than her work clothes when meeting the prince, but if she had arrived in her green satin dress he would have thought her silly to treat him in that. She tried not to think about what Essa had said just as Darcy left to examine the prince, it had unsettled her and she couldn't help but feel like her friend was right.

_"Darcy be careful around the prince"_

_"Essa you speak as if he is as big a charmer as his brother, Loki isn't like that, a charmer for sure but not like his brother in how he chases women all around the palace"_

_"It doesn't seem to matter, Myrra's reputation was ruined enough by him. And even if it is true that she mistook the effect that potion would have she still embarrassed herself beyond return, because of him"_

_"Circumstances beyond your control should not determine what people think of you"_

_"True...But don't fall too in love with him"_

_"...I'm not in love with him"_

_"Yet, and for your own sake I hope you won't be either"_

Darcy stopped in front of the guards by Loki's quarters and curtsied lightly with a smile as they opened the door for her. She walked through the living room and looked around the space, it was an organised chaos of books. She stopped in front of the bedroom door and knocked lightly before waiting for an answer, when she got none she opened the door quietly and stepped in. Her heart was beating unreasonably quickly when she took in the sight of Loki laying on the bed, his bandaged shoulder and bare torso weren't covered.

He appeared to be asleep, his long hair was messy and splayed out over the pillow and his lips slightly opened. She walked over to the other side of the bed to tend to his shoulder. Maybe it was best if he stayed asleep for when she checked the wound, she felt to embarrassed to know how to speak like a normal person anyway.

Just as she put her fingertips to the bandage to lift it one of his hands shot out and grabbed her wrist hard, she gasped in surprise and his green eyes turned to stare at her. It took a moment for him to realize what was actually happening in his newly awoken state.

"Darcy?"

"Um, yes" he released his grip on her wrist and she could feel her blood reach her fingertips again. "I'm sorry if I scared you, I was just going to check your wound"

Loki nodded "Of course. So Eir is not coming?" Darcy lifted the bandage carefully and Loki held back a grunt as the skin of the wound peeled off slightly with the bandage.

"No, I am going to tend to you instead. She was needed in the ward. But you should be able to move freely soon, it is healing nicely"

"Well my prospects just improved significantly" Loki smirked at her and she frowned slightly, not really understanding what he meant.

"Yes, you should be able to start walking tomorrow I expect."

"That's not what I meant" Darcy frowned again.

"Then what do you mean?"

"I mean that I much prefer your company than Eir's sour presence" Darcy could feel herself blush.

"Right...Um I should leave you to rest" Just as she got up from the bed Loki grabbed her wrist.

"Would you stay? I fear my mind will rot away from boredom if I don't have something to occupy my time with" Darcy glanced down to where he was holding her wrist.

"Of course, um...I can read one of your books out loud?" Loki just looked at her for a moment and Darcy feared she had said something stupid until he smiled gently.

"That would be lovely" that smiled would haunt her for the rest of her life, it was unfair that he should be so handsome when she was trying to be professional. She walked out and grabbed three random books from different shelves and walked back in and sat next to him on the bed. He picked one of the books and she started to read.

Loki was pretty sure it had something to do with the magical properties of...something, but he wasn't that concerned about the topic. Who could be interested in books when Darcy's leg was pressed against his, and how their shoulders touched lightly when the pillows she was resting against slipped down towards him.

When Darcy's shoulder met his again he took the chance and feigned sleep to let his head fall against her shoulder. Her breath hitched slightly and he could feel her turn towards him and look at him. After a moment she continued to read, this time more quietly, and he didn't imagine how she scooted a bit closer to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am totally winging the chitauri backstory, but it is afterall my fiction and I really wanted a fight scene where Darcy and Loki get to save each other.  
> Some budding romance cuteness between Darcy and Loki in Flashback form.
> 
> Some of you have theories about how this story is going to work out and I'll be happy to keep you guessing ;)


	7. 7

_In your ocean, I'm ankle deep_   
_I feel the waves crashin' on my feet_   
_It's like I know where I need to be_   
_But I can't figure out, yeah I can't figure out_

_-Something beautiful_

_Stark tower_

Jane sighed in happiness as she leaned back against Thor's chest. They were lounging in their apartment in Stark tower, or avengers tower as he called it now, and watched the sun set.

"Are you happy Jane?" She turned her face to the side and their noses met and she smiled.

"Of course I am, are you?" Thor nodded and turned his gaze towards the window again.

"I want you to see the sunsets in Asgard, the way the light hits the palace and makes the whole town and ocean glow gold." She wrapped her arms around him and cuddled up closer to him in the sofa.

"I would love that" he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I talked to Darcy today by the way, speaking of Asgard"

"What did you talk about?" Thor prayed to the Norns that his brother had chosen to be quiet.

"She was ranting about how Loki wouldn't answer her questions and I told her that he was playing her" Jane looked at Thor who continued to look out the window. "He wants her to come to Asgard with him" that got Thor's attention and he looked down to meet her gaze.

"Thor do you know what Loki is planning?" Thor sighed, he told himself he had to lie to protect Darcy because if she knew the truth she would go after it, she was so bloody headstrong that girl, but it hurt to lie to Jane.

"My brother has always been hard to read Jane, his motive for including Darcy in this... I am not sure what he's going to do" at least that was true. The thunder God had been hesitant of what his brother would do now since he suddenly didn't answer Darcy's questions. What was sure was that he wanted her to go to Asgard, maybe so that mother could reverse it all. He assumed that Loki thought to persuade Darcy to go to Asgard by teasing her curiosity, which could work, if she wasn't persuaded that he was tricking her which Jane was adamant about making her think.

He could understand Jane's hatred towards his brother, it was justified, but it still made him sad that the woman he loved and the brother he loved would probably never be friendly with one another.

"I love you" Thor snapped out of his thoughts to look down at his woman who smiled up at him.

"And I love you" he leaned down and they kissed. He needed to speak to Odin about this, he could not imagine living the rest of his life without these lips to kiss every day, she would be a perfect queen. She was intelligent and kind and she could teach the scholars of Asgard a thing or two about their own mechanics, the kingdom would thrive from having her in it.

Jane giggled and rubbed his nose with hers. "What are you thinking about?"

"Of bringing you to Asgard" Jane's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"Really?" Thor hesitated.

"Do you not wish to go?" Jane suddenly jumped up and down in the couch and clapped her hands, almost like Darcy did when she turned on 'blacklist' or 'ripper street', or any of her other favorite shows.

"Of course I want to go!" Jane nearly shrieked "I can do data tests from Asgard and cross reference them to..." She paused and Thor looked amused. "And meet your parents, you want me to meet your parents?"

"Only if you wish to, but I would like them to know the amazing woman I fell in love with" Jane smiled shyly down at her lap and then glanced up at him.

"I would like to meet them too" she crawled onto his lap and straddled his lap and kissed him. He pulled back suddenly "But I don't have anything to wear for meeting a king and queen!" She immediately felt like calling Darcy so that they could get a dress that was swanky enough for that occasion but her thoughts faded as Thor laughed at her. She felt relieved when she heard it, it was so rare now and he always looked so concerned, this Loki problem seemed to be on his mind constantly.

"Darling, let that be a problem for another time" he put his hands on her hips and slowly moved them over her butt to pull her closer to him, making her shorts ride up. "For now we can focus on removing clothes instead" he smirked and Jane giggled.

"Very smooth"

"Spending time with a billionaire philanthropist playboy who flirts with everyone teaches you that sort of thing"

* * *

_**Asgard, years before**._

"I believe they were testing our borders to search for weak points that could be exploited for a larger attack" Odin's deep steady voice carried out through the silent council room.

There weren't many in attendance to discuss the chitauri attack, the king and queen of course, they were seated next to each other in their elaborate chairs at the round table. Thor and Loki, the first sat next to their father and the second, who had his arm in a sling because of his still healing shoulder, sat next to their mother. Other than the royal family there were a few of the royal councilor, and also Tyr, the god of war and general of the Asgardian troops. He had brought his two generals who were his seconds in command, one of whom Loki took special interest in.

Eddard Nordstierna was a big man, even though he was not young anymore he still had plenty of muscles and a large presence. Loki remembered when he and Thor use to watch the soldiers fight in the yard and the second general had fought with them. Thor had turned to Loki with glee when Eddard knocked five soldiers of their feet and said _"I want to learn how to fight like that, I want to look like him when I get older"_ and now Thor had possibly more muscle than the general.

As Loki studied the older man he found that Darcy shared very little of his features, except the deep blue eyes and the way they seemed to take in every little detail in the room. He knew they had the same manners, Darcy had told him about her father's sarcasm, that she inherited. And he also noted that they had very similar facial expressions, although Darcy was far more expressive than her father.

The blue eyes that belonged to the man Loki studied suddenly snapped from Odin to Loki who sat across from him at the table. Loki did nothing but meet his gaze, it was disconcertingly empty, and the second general's eyes revealed nothing of what he was thinking.

Loki let his eyes drift to the window and tried to ignore the way his skin got goosebumps, the second general may have created one of the most beautiful creatures in the world but he was definitely a scary man.

"That is surprisingly organized for the chitauri" Tyr said "but whatever they were planning it cannot be executed now. Not when the prince banished them to the void"

The attention turned to Loki who removed his gaze from the window to glance around the room.

"The spell we found came from one of the oldest and darkest scriptures in the library, the creatures described in that book that were sent to the void have not returned, then why should the chitauri?" The queen said and a few councillors looked at each other, looking like they were feeling safer now that his mother had vouched for the spell, and for Loki himself to an extent.

He clenched his jaw in annoyance, wishing that the stupid meeting could be over now.

It continued for fifteen minutes more, during which time they had to decide what to tell the people. As soon as Odin stood up, demonstrating that the meeting was done Loki shot out of his chair and was only stopped from leaving the room by his mother's gentle hand on his healthy shoulder.

He met her gaze and she smiled gently. "How do you feel today?"

"It's healed now, I need this to avoid injury by moving it" he gestured at the leather sling with his other arm and his mother nodded.

"But how do you feel?" Loki shook his head.

"I'm fine mother" he squeezed her hand and then turned to walk away. Thor joined him on the way as they walked out the corridor. His brother was just about to say something when a voice down the hall got their attention.

"Your highness!" They both turned around and gave each other a quick look as to figure out which one of them the second general had called after. The big man walked over to them with long steps, his grey and black leather apparel contrasting their own more colorful ones. Based on how his eyes focused on Loki it was him he wanted to talk to. He stopped at a respectable distance and then gave a short bow to them. Although both Loki and Thor were taller than the second general they seemed much younger and inexperienced when meeting the older warriors gaze.

When he looked up his steely eyes met Loki's. "I will not pretend to know much about magic, but I do think that we could do well with more like you who wield it so skillfully"

Loki had to control his face to prevent himself gaping at the other man's words. It was highly unusual and almost taboo for men to use magic, and it was considered foul play to use it in battle, and yet here the second general of the Asgardian troops recognized it as something that was needed.

"Thank you, general" Eddard nodded "that means a lot coming from a man of your standard, I will see what I can do about it"

"You don't need to trouble yourself now your highness, according to my daughter, who's attention is on your wellbeing above all, you need rest. After that we can speak further of this" Loki suddenly felt his mouth dry up a little at the way that the other man said that he had spoken to Darcy. For the first time today the general's eyes did reveal his thoughts, and he clearly had some opinions on the prince getting close attention from his daughter, despite his very discrete words.

Loki swallowed and he nodded "your daughter is a very skilled healer, I would be a fool to go against her orders" he smiled a close lipped smile hoping to appease the general.

"Yes you would be" the hardness behind the statement could not be missed, even Thor reacted on it. The general turned to the both of them and bowed. "Thank you for your time, your highness" with those words he turned on his heels and left.

Thor chuckled a little as they turned around and continued to walk "The second general's daughter? I don't even know how she looks like, tell me brother, is she worth getting killed by the general?" Thor smirked and Loki gave him a droll stare. "Oh come brother you must tell me something of her!"

"Loki has a her? Who is the her?" Fandral jumped out from around a corner and started to walk next to Loki, who stared ahead in rising annoyance.

"It appears to be the second general Nordenstierna's daughter" Thor said, his voice dripping with amusement from teasing his brother.

"That sounds like a perfect way to start a war with Asgards own army" the blondes looked back at Volstagg, who walked behind them, and smiled in amusement.

"Yes, yes enough with your concerns. Who is she? Please tell me she's pretty, how does she look?" Fandral said and started to walk backwards in front of Loki.

"I swear I will teleport you to hel if you do not shut up" Loki grumbled and Fandral merely smiled.

"I would happily take on the challenge of charming the ruler of the underworld. I admit that the dead half of her body would be off putting but I would do my best to ignore it"

"I can't recall meeting the second general's daughter at court" Thor said with a frown and Fandral jumped back to walk next to him.

"Me neither. Loki tell us something about her, what's her best feature?"

Loki's mind immediately went to Darcy's smile and the way her eyes would twinkle when she laughed. But that was not the sort of feature that Fandral spoke of, but Loki couldn't think about her body right now or he would embarrass himself.

"Fine if you want to be like that I guess I'll go off and study her myself" he heard the smirk in Fandral's voice and he felt a pulse of fire go through his body at the thought of Fandral going near her.

Loki surprised all of them, including himself, when he turned around and grabbed Fandral by the lapels of his jacket and turned to shove him against the pillar, or better yet throw him down the stairs leading out to the small garden that they had just stopped in front of. But he suddenly stopped all movement when a pair of wide ocean blue eyes met his.

He dropped Fandral to the floor and he landed with an undignified grunt, that had to do for the moment. "Ladies" Loki greeted and Darcy and a blond woman he vaguely remembered seeing in the healing ward curtsied.

Loki took in the sight of Darcy in the white summer dress with gold embroidery she wore, it was simple but on her it looked fantastic. It highlighted her figure perfectly, and he couldn't stop himself from glancing briefly at her breasts, they were just to bloody good to be true. Her dark hair thankfully covered them a little since she wore it loose instead of wearing it in a braid, making it hang in thick curls down her shoulders. He really wanted to reach out and touch it, when seeing it he instantly remembered how soft it was.

"Your highness" the blond woman said and curtsied both at him and his brother, meanwhile Darcy glanced down at Fandral who was trying to get up and then up at Loki who met her gaze steadily. She had obviously seen him attack the ridiculous blond man.

"I confess that I am at a disadvantage here, I don't believe I know your names to properly greet you" Thor said as he walked closer to them and Loki could see the blond girl blush at his brothers flirtatious smile, _here we go again_. He didn't dare to look at Darcy to see what her reaction was.

Darcy raised an eyebrow and smirked just a little at the prince, but then looked at Loki who had turned very still all of the sudden. He noticed her gaze and glanced at her and she gave what she hoped to be an encouraging smile.

Loki cleared his throat and his brother looked at him in surprise "brother this is Darcy Nordenstierna" Thor's eyes widened just a bit at hearing her name. No wondered Loki had taken an interest in her, she was gorgeous.

"And this is Essa Gunvaldsdottir" Darcy added, knowing that Loki didn't know her name. Fandral suddenly decided to stand up and placed himself in front of Darcy and lifted her hand just as he gave a small bow.

"I am Fandral, and it is a pleasure, my lady" he kissed her hand and Darcy had to resist laughing at the act, she had hoped to meet Loki's eyes over the now bowing Fandral but saw him stare down at the back of Fandral's head, looking like he wished to hit it. Darcy felt strangely pleased by that, maybe he was jealous? That would mean he liked her!

Fandral straightened himself and Darcy didn't miss the way his eyes lingered at eye level with her breasts. Her casual dress didn't cover them as much as her work robes did.

"I don't recall seeing you at court my lady" Fandral said and Darcy contemplated taking a step back, he was very close.

"Court can be amusing at times but I think I enjoy my work more."

"And what do you do?" Fandral asked with a smile and leaned his head forward a little.

"I'm a healer. We both are" Darcy said and nodded towards Essa who smiled back at her. The big man with red beard walked closer to join the conversation.

"That's very impressive for young women your age, I am told studying the healing arts take several years" there was nothing malicious in his voice at all, he actually did seem impressed. Darcy immediately decided that she liked him.

"We started young" Essa said and the big man nodded.

"That would explain your absence at court" he said and Darcy nodded.

"What does your fathers think of your choice of profession?" Fandral asked and Loki smirked in the background where he had ended up.

Darcy turned to Fandral and raised an eyebrow at him "we save lives. What possible negative opinion could they have about that?" Her tone was hard, she had had this conversation too many times to be gentle about it. The only one who didn't question her was her father, despite people's insistence that he had to have opinions about what she did.

Loki saw whatever interest Fandral had for Darcy shrivel up a little at her hard tone, strong willed females must scare him.

"Of course." Was Fandral's reply and Loki smirked. Thor took pity on his friend and stepped in to try to salvage the situation.

"We are heading to the yard to train, would you like to accompany us?" He held out his arm to Essa and the blond woman smiled and took it. She glanced at Darcy with glee and the brunette smiled.

When Fandral held out his arm to Darcy she held up a hand and shook her head.

"No thank you, I'm off to the library actually. But I'll see if I can find you later" Fandral opened his mouth to say something but Darcy swept past him and started to walk the other way.

Volstagg and Fandral joined Thor and Essa in walking to the yard. But Loki started to walk after Darcy in the opposite direction. He didn't make himself known to her until she entered the library and for some reason turned around and saw him.

"Loki" she suddenly felt like a fool, both at her overexcited tone when saying his name, and the fact that she had barely spoken with him before she fled from Fandral's attentions. She started to fiddle with her nails as he stepped closer to her.

"Lady Darcy" she swore that his voice was the most sexy thing imaginable, except from his body because good gods he was gorgeous. "What brings you here?" He stood next to her and looked down, she saw his eyes flicker only briefly to her breasts and then lock onto her eyes. She knew she looked good in this dress, and judging by the look he had given her earlier, his eyes going all over her, he thought so too. And even though she didn't dress up for men's approval, she was stupidly pleased that he liked it.

She started to walk and he joined her, she smiled as she noticed how he took smaller steps in order to keep her tempo. Would she be too forward if she took his arm?

"I'm here to search for books on anatomy, we are studying one of the chitauri bodies in order to learn more of their species" he nodded and smiled a close lipped smile. She suddenly felt a palm at the small of her back and she jumped a little in surprise.

"That would be over here" Loki said and she felt his hand push her over to a couple of bookshelves to the left. When his hand dropped from her back she immediately noticed how the pleasant heat disappeared from its place.

"Thank you" she smiled up at him and then frowned. "Speaking of anatomy, don't think I didn't see you wave that arm around. You must keep it still so that the muscle doesn't rupture!"

He just smirked. "I am in your constant care am I not? Then I'll be perfectly safe"

Darcy scoffed and walked to the other side of the big oak table between the shelves. Whoever had been there before them had not placed back all the books and parchments, there were a few of them scattered over the table. The fine layer of dust being illuminated by the midday light from the big window.

"Sometimes I think you overestimate my abilities as a healer, I'm not even as experienced as half of the others" she picked up one of the books with a big illustration of a bilgesnipe and walked over to sit by the window.

"Don't insult me by thinking that I made a mistake in choosing you" Darcy's eyes widened at his surprisingly hard tone. He seemed to notice and frowned, looking as if he thought about what to say next. He started to walk forward to her, his healthy arm touching the high backed chairs as he walked closer.

"I mean only that I knew what I got when I choose you to be responsible for my care. I did not choose you for your experience, I chose you for your obvious skill at your work" his words were careful, he damned his mind for loosing all sort of sensible thought just because she was around.

He looked at her and she smiled down at the book in her hands, she bit her lip and then looked at him.

"It's no mystery they call you silver tongue, the way you compliment could make me do anything" She said with a joking smile but Loki's eyes turned mischievous and he stepped closer to where she leaned.

"Oh really?" Darcy's breath caught in her throat at how close he was and she could feel herself blush.

"Yes, almost like Myrra did" Loki's reaction was immediate, he backed just a little and his mouth was open in surprise.

"Oh" Loki wanted to hit himself for the inarticulate answer. "You know her?" He saw how Darcy's eyes studied him for a moment, and he hoped that she didn't find anything particular.

Darcy shook her head "No, but I know of her. Essa told me after you came to the healing ward a couple of years ago, when we were both apprentices. Word is that she's married now to a farmer living close to the mountains."

There was silence for a while until Loki spoke again "I didn't know that would happen. She drank that potion on her own" he remembered how obsessed she had become with him, the casual flirting they had shared turned into blind obsession and the detoxing process had been painful for her, and her reputation had also suffered from it.

To his surprise Darcy nodded "I believe you" but it didn't change the fact that she could turn out like Myrra if this continued. She wouldn't need a potion. She would eventually truly fall for him, she would hurt from it, her and his reputation would suffer from it.

She put the book back on the table and walked next to the shelves, she pulled out a random book that looked scientific enough and turned back to Loki who stood by the window and watched her.

"Now this should be fine, I should head back to Eir. Have a good day my prince" she curtsied and started to walk away but came to a slow stop and then turned back to look at him.

"Before I go, I'm very grateful that you wanted to be in my care, and that you trust in my abilities. It means a lot to me that you chose me" Loki just nodded and she then left.

The prince teleported to his room. He was very still for a while before sitting down on his bed. He didn't understand whatever had passed between Darcy and him moments earlier, but he knew she was running away from him. If it was because of the Myrra catastrophe, despite her knowing of it for so long and never seemed to be troubled by it before, or because of something else he did not know.

But he did know that the book on botany she picked from the shelve would not help her in studying a chitauri corpse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am completely basing Eddard Nordenstierna on Eddard Stark (Sean Bean), I'm still devastated that he was killed off in game of thrones so I'm putting him in my story to keep him safe...  
> In Asgard Loki and Darcy's budding romance is about to take a turn, and there will be a change in the game down on earth as well that will bring Darcy back into closer proximity of Loki, to many's dismay.  
> Please let me know what you think,


	8. 8

_Brother, let me be your shelter_   
_Never leave you all alone_   
_I can be the one you call_   
_When you're low_   
_Brother, let me be your fortress_   
_When the night winds are driving on_   
_Be the one to light the way_   
_Bring you home_

_-Brother_

"Faster, you need to be quicker in order to hit all pressure points" Natasha called out over the sound of Darcy's panting and knuckles hitting the anatomically correct human shaped punching doll. Darcy punched one last hard blow to the solar plexus and then backed away panting. She put her hands on her knees and leaned over to catch her breath.

"Stand up straight, you get more oxygen that way instead of hunching over" Darcy stood up straight, still breathing hard, and looked at her unbelievably pristine trainer. The spy had been running just as much as Darcy had, and she had also shown Darcy where to hit to paralyze someone, temporarily though. But she still looked unfairly composed and gorgeous.

"When I said don't put me up for cardio I meant it" she got out but Natasha still had the same neutral expression, and it was very hard to argue with that expression. That's what you get for asking a Russian to whip you into shape.

"You wanted to learn how to defend yourself, that includes cardio. Now do the pressure points again or we run five more laps" Natasha deadpanned and Darcy walked over to the doll again, redoing her pony tail as she walked. She pulled at her black workout top before raising her fists to eye level. Her knuckles were sore and she was pretty sure she was going to bruise them, Natasha claimed that they would get used to it if she practiced.

Darcy had just punched the doll over the ear when the door to the side of them in the big training hall opened. Clint walked out looking as cool as ever and glanced around the combat section of the hall, that they were in, and smirked a little when he saw a red faced Darcy punch the life out of one of the training dolls.

Natasha raised an eyebrow at him, knowing that he wasn't there to train. He walked closer and observed Darcy's technique as he did, she threw her last punch and backed away from the doll then looked at Natasha who gave a small nod.

"Better" despite her stoic expression and rather unenthusiastic sounding comment Darcy smiled a huge smile. Natasha couldn't help but let the corners of her lips slide upwards just a little at the sight. She turned to Barton.

"Come to give advice?" He stopped and looked at Darcy who stood a little straighter now and met his gaze.

"Yes" he pointed at Darcy "don't do close combat, it's messy and boring. Shooting from a distance however that's a real sport which takes some actual skill" Darcy smirked and Clint turned to Natasha who to anyone else would have looked unamused, but Clint could see her smile teasingly on the inside.

"You just say that because you are afraid of germs"

"True, people are gross" Clint dead panned. Darcy watched the exchange with amusement and fascination. It was rare for them to show any kind of familiarity so openly, except in front of their friends. Darcy hoped that she counted as one of their friends at least, they were insanely cool people and she cared about them, despite only knowing them for a short while.

"What do you want?" Natasha asked and Clint's expression turned somber again.

"Thor has called a meeting with the team"

"Did Fury sanction it?"

"My guess is that the big guy badgered him into it until he finally caved in. Fury will be there"

Natasha turned to Darcy "we can continue on Thursday, tomorrow you can run 4 laps and do core exercises" Darcy nodded, happy to catch a break and walked over to where her bag was laying.

"I think Darcy should come" she whipped around to stare at Clint. She at an avengers meeting? No fucking way.

Natasha narrowed her eyes at him "what's this meeting about?"

Clint tilted his head to the side and looked at her. "It's Thor...what do you think he wants to talk about"

Natasha sighed and then looked at Darcy. "Get you bag" she and Barton started to walk to the door and Darcy quickly picked up her bag and jogged to follow them. The trio walked through the corridor, the agents in front and Darcy behind them struggling to put on her black sweater at the same time as she walked.

She listened in to what Natasha and Clint were saying.

"He talked" Clint said just as they turned around a corner.

"Loki? What did he say?"

"Not clear on that, but whatever he said seemed to get to Thor"

The three walked through the big glass lobby of the shield facility and out onto the parking area where a big black suv was waiting for them. They jumped in and Darcy ended up in the back seat, silently listening and thinking about what the agents said.

"Darcy are you okay?" She met Natasha's eyes in the mirror and we nodded.

"Yeah I'm fine. But why did he decide to talk?"

The read head shrugged, but Darcy had a nagging feeling that the spy knew more than she was letting on. "He has his motives, and we'll figure those out soon enough. For now it looks like your two months long absence got to him" Natasha looked into the mirror and met Darcy's gaze again and the younger woman frowned and looked out the window, but she could still see a faint blush on her face.

"I'm not going to be part of his game" Darcy said out loud, still looking out the window. She didn't get an answer from the others but it didn't matter, she didn't need to convince them. She needed to convince herself.

* * *

The huge window in the conference room in Stark/Avengers tower had a perfect view over the city, which was sparkling in the midday light. The windows of the other buildings reflected the light and made the look like diamonds. Darcy's gaze shifted from the diamond buildings to the sound of the door opening. Steve's large good looking body walked through the door, judging by his clothes, a white t-shirt, grey sweatpants and grey sweatshirt with a duffel bag thrown over his shoulder, he had also been working out. That made her feel less out of place in her gym clothes when everyone was in spy gear (except Natasha who only looked slightly less spy-ish than she used to, she had covered her workout tank with a leather jacket). Steve sat down on her other side and gave her a brief smile as he did.

"Fury isn't here yet" Darcy said and Steve's eyes swept the room quickly.

"Nor is Tony or Thor" Darcy had also noted that there was no Jane either, but maybe she would come with Thor. She looked across the table and saw Banner drum his fingers against the dark glass table anxiously.

After drumming his fingers for a while in the otherwise quiet room he stopped and sighed "do they think we have nothing else to do than sit and wait for them?"

"Big science stuff going on?" Darcy asked and he smiled a wry smile.

"You can say that yes" Darcy smiled and opened her mouth to talk more but the door opened and in stepped the three missing people, still no Jane despite Thor's arrival.

"My friends, thank you for coming on such a short notice even without knowing the reason behind this gathering" Thor said as he walked to the head of the table, blocking the view a bit since he was so huge. Tony sat down next to Bruce, giving him a pat on the back before sitting down. Darcy glanced at Fury who walked with arms crossed towards the window in a slow pace. Seeming like he distanced himself from whatever Thor wanted to talk about, whatever it was Fury wanted Thor to be in charge of it.

"I want to discuss my brother's arrangement" the reactions to that statement varied from person to person. Clint clenched his jaw in attempt not to start yelling curse words, Bruce frowned deeply and started to take deeper breaths, Tony looked surprisingly unsurprised making Darcy guess he probably knew this before hand, Steve also frowned but seemed to accept to topic of conversation with a small sigh, Natasha raised an eyebrow which was a huge deal by her otherwise so neutral standard expression. Darcy however didn't need to look at herself to know that she looked like she wants to run out of the room. She seriously contemplated doing it until she accidentally met Thor's gaze, he looked both concerned and sad. Darcy sighed internally, the last thing Thor needed was to start this meeting with her running off in protest, damn her compassion. She slumped down in her chair and in a childlike protest crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why do we need to discuss this?" The quiet voice of Bruce Banner asked. The subject of Loki had been very quiet these last two months, shield was using him to rebuild New York, the fact that he had magic made the work go much quicker than it otherwise would have. Darcy had heard that using his magic for so long without rest he would often return to the facility dead tired and only able to perform small acts of magic, the fact that he was worked so hard was not something she had heard being discussed, it was his punishment for bringing the chitauri to invade them, however controlled he had been at the time.

"Loki has behaved extremely well these last two months, he has not argued, protested or tried to evade his punishment even though he is fully capable of doing so. This tells me that he truly wishes to repent for what he has done to your realm"

"Or that he stays to get something else" Tony interrupted and Thor frowned slightly but it was Bruce who spoke up.

"What would that be?"

"Darcy dear over there" Tony pointed across the table at Darcy who gaped at him.

"Don't be ridiculous, why would he stay on earth to hang around someone whose race he thinks is comparable to bugs?"

"Maybe he fell for your charming attitude" Tony said clearly sarcastically and Darcy glared at him.

"Whatever reason Loki is using Darcy for we will find out but as long as she is distanced from him that won't be an immediate problem" Darcy looked at Steve in surprise. She had no idea he was involved in investigating Loki.

"Yeah about that" Tony said and then pointed at Thor "take it away blondie"

The Norse god looked hesitant for a moment and then sighed but when he looked out at the avengers + Darcy he looked determined.

"Loki's duties will expand from just repairing the city to helping Jane with the Bifrost research. And if he succeeds in moving the research forward with the knowledge he has of it from Asgard, he will be moved into an apartment in this tower"

Thor's statement effectively solved the riddle of why Jane wasn't here. She must be furious about this. Darcy's thoughts moved from Jane to take in the uproar the avengers burst into, part from Tony and Fury and of course Thor who stood there and listened to the protests.

"Shut up!" The room turned silent after Fury screamed. The director then turned to look at them instead of out the window. "Loki will aid Dr. Foster in researching the Bifrost because it will certainly move it forward, and ensure the help from Asgard if one of these other space catastrophes should happen again. Clear?"

"But sir-" Steve started but Fury cut him off with a raised voice.

"And with regards to safety, we aren't stupid. This was discussed with Stark before this meeting and the construction of the cell apartment will start as soon as possible once the required safety standards have been designed." Fury looked around the room. "But as you people keep telling me, he could have fled already and he hasn't, so why the hell would he flee now"

Clint looked up at Natasha who met his equally displeased gaze with one of her own.

"Maybe because we are doing exactly as he wants" Barton said and looked at the director.

"Then we draw him out until we know for certain what he wants and then smash him" Fury answered in a steel tone and Thor tried not protest at the suggestion.

"Sir, what about me?" Darcy's small sounding voice asked and Fury turned his gaze to her and she felt even smaller after he did. If she was to be distanced from Loki, how the hell was she going to keep being Jane's assistant?

"You will still perform minor tasks for Dr. Foster, Loki will not be there full time. But from now on you will have more official duties as a hacker for shield" Darcy's eyes widened. "Romanoff told me you were skilled at it" Darcy glanced at the woman next to her who just stared ahead.

"Thank you sir" Darcy said and Fury nodded. She hated to leave Jane alone with evil space prince but this was way too cool to say no to. She was going to be the Penelope Garcia of shield! She started to think about what color to dye her hair and where she could buy multicolored outfits when Bruce spoke up.

"I don't think this is a good idea, to invoke him in our research. What's stopping him from sabotaging it instead of helping?"

"Dr. Foster is not stupid, if she sees him trying to destroy data or miscalculate on purpose she will know. And with Stark's help and yours, you can keep track of him well enough"

Bruce raised both his eyebrows and smiled in disbelief. "My help? Stark's help" he looked at Tony who shrugged.

"I'm there to tease and torture him at the same time as I build a rainbow bridge, it sounds great" Bruce shook his head.

The quiet scientist stood up and pushed his chair back to the table. He put his hands in his pockets and shook his head.

"I don't think so" he then walked towards the door.

"Dr. Banner!" Fury called after him but he didn't turn around, instead he just walked straight out.

"For all our sakes I think it's best we leave him be for now" Steve said and Darcy couldn't do more than agree. They did not need the hulk to run wild in the tower. Stark got up and walked towards the door.

"I'll talk to him" it may seem unlikely but despite Tony's flamboyant and annoying behavior, the two men got along more than expected, and Tony could be one of the few people that knew how to calm down the rage before catastrophe happened. It didn't always work but it was always worth a try.

"You didn't bring us here to discuss anything really. You're really gonna let that psycho wander as you please no matter what we say" Barton said bitterly and Fury looked at him.

"Meetings do not always mean discussions"

Clint laughed bitterly and the stood up and kicked away his chair. "Yeah I see that now" then he also left the room.

"You are all dismissed. If any of the following information about Loki concerns you, you will be notified" Fury said and walked out of the room as well. Natasha disappeared very quickly, probably off to find Clint. Given what Natasha knew about what Clint felt about his part in the invasion she decided not to let him be alone.

Thor looked like a kicked puppy for a moment, a big muscly puppy, and Darcy put a comforting hand on his arm. He nodded at her.

"I am sorry that you have been dragged into this Darcy, but I am very grateful that you stayed"

"It's okay big guy. It's not like you could help it"

Thor swallowed hard, _Darcy I'm possibly the only one that could have stopped this from happening_.

"I do realize my brother must be punished, I won't stop it from happening. But I also want him to be forgiven... That's why I want him to be useful to shield, maybe if he shows how much valuable knowledge he has he will be respected and in turn..." Thor shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "deep down I think he wants forgiveness too but is too proud to ask for it" he looked down at Darcy, her deep blue eyes meeting his lighter ones.

"You must think me foolish, you do not have to agree with me Darcy" Darcy was silent for a while, biting her lower lip.

"I don't think you're stupid. It's perfectly normal to want those we love to be respected and cared about. And maybe what you say will happen, maybe he can be respected if he helps us enough. But Thor, that's a long way down the road, longer than a year. You can't be surprised by how the others reacted to this"

Thor nodded "I'm not surprised, it was perhaps too soon. You are of course right Darcy, I need to be patient"

"Atta boy!" She slapped his back playfully and he smiled at her and they left the conference room. The stood waiting in front of the elevator, Darcy was going down to go home to her apartment and process how she was now a hacker for shield and what threats that could bring to her life (hopefully none). And thinking of threats to her life...

"Thor, be honest now. If you know or find out eventually why your brother included me, or fuck can you call it that? I mean why he... Wants me for whatever scheme he has... Would you tell me?" She knew this protective instinct Thor had for Loki went deep, but if Loki ever planned to do bad things Thor would stop him despite if it harmed his brother. She just needed him to say it.

Thor looked down at her and gave her a half smile. "I will always protect you Darcy" that at least he knew to be true, and he could tell her that without lying.

She smiled, looking relieved. "Thanks big guy" she then stepped into the elevator. "I'll stop by soon and make pancakes again" that made Thor light up.

"I would love that" they both knew that Jane sucked at making pancakes. The elevator closed and Darcy went home. During the way home she actively tried to move her thoughts away from Loki's fucking tricks and why he wanted her. She didn't want to think about it, it was seriously uncomfortable and her skin prickled when she remembered the invasion and what had passed between her and Loki...

She threw her bag on the floor after she closed the door to her apartment, then stomped into the kitchen area and pulled out a notebook from one of the drawers. She threw the notebook and a pen down on the table in front of the sofa and sat down to stare at them.

She needed to find out his game. She opened the notebook and made a big circle in the middle of the page, then wrote in it. _Loki_.

She spent the rest of the night writing down everything she knew about him, from myths, from Thor and from rumors. She wrote down their conversations (not verbatim word for word but what seemed important). She then colored it, because why the hell not, if college taught her one thing it was to color your shit. Eventually she fell asleep, her hands covered in freakishly bright colors and her mind maps and notes scattered on the table.

As usual she didn't dream about anything, her mind was always absolutely blank while she slept. She never had nightmares or good dreams like other people who could recall every detail of the dream and tell their friends the next day...but if only Darcy could dream her subconsciousness could reach her in her sleep and maybe solve the mystery she was tangled in. If it could she would realize why Loki acted like he did. All his looks, smiles and words would be explained by one simple fact; that he loved her...and that she loved him too.

* * *

Ever since he had fallen from the bridge his dreams had become more vivid, and much more violent. He could feel himself going through the endless falling from the bridge again, he remembered the breathless sensation of somehow entering the void, and he remembered the soaring pain when he was captured by the chitauri.

He had expected to die that day. He had no tricks left, his magic was almost depleted and he was abandoned by Asgard so no one would come, nor could they come there to help. He had nothing left, so he resigned himself to die. Rather that he die than being tortured for an eternity for banishing the foul creatures.

That's why it felt strange to live now with such a strong motivation to keep living. He thought back to the numbness he had felt when thinking of his own death and how strangely numb he had felt when possessing the scepter. Just like his nightmares his life felt more vivid now, even though the woman responsible for it had been absent for a long time.

His fixed his gaze on the door as soon as he heard the mechanical sound signaling that it would soon open. He allowed himself to hope for only a second or so that it would be Darcy, she had been surprisingly stubborn in avoiding him but her resolve must have broken by now...

His hope disappeared when Thor walked into the room, dressed in more traditional Asgardian clothing for once. Thor noticed the change in his brother's expression as soon as he entered the room, he clearly wasn't the person Loki had hoped to see.

"The monotony of this punishment is more likely to kill me before any of my guards get the chance" Loki said and Thor glanced at the two guards positioned next to the cell. One of them briefly met his gaze before turning it away, clearly nervous.

"You aren't here to enjoy your punishment Loki. But there is new work for you" Loki raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief.

"More destroyed buildings?" Thor remained impassive.

"If you do this job well your location will change to a better one and you will be more comfortable" Loki raised an eyebrow.

"I'm listening"

"You are to assist Jane in her research on the Bifrost. If you help her make clear steps in the research you will be moved to Avengers tower where you will have your own room"

Loki thought about it for a second. No he did not wish to assist his brothers mortal lover who obviously despised him, and if he was moved into avengers tower he would be surrounded by the people who brought him down which would be a constant annoyance. But it would bring him out of this offending cage.

"I thought Dr. Foster already had an assistant" Thor saw the calculating look on his brother's face, weighing the pros and cons of the situation. The option bringing him closer to Darcy would weigh heavier despite the negative aspects of that choice.

Even though Thor was still worried about Darcy finding out the truth, and Loki doing something rash to make that happen, deep down he was pleased to see Loki starting to resemble his old self. The sparkle in his eyes had returned and he looked like he felt other things than only rage. And he knew that was due to knowing Darcy was alive and seeing her again. He could sympathize more with his brother now than he could when she disappeared, he had never been in love with any of the women he met back on Asgard, he had admired them and wanted them but never full out loved them. Not the way Loki and Darcy had loved each other. Now that he had Jane and knew what such deep love felt like he could better understand the pain Loki had felt... He also understood that the pain was what had driven him away and why he had gotten obsessed with power. Being powerless to help the one you love could make you do stupid things.

"She has been transferred" Loki frowned for a moment and then nodded. "I'm going to Asgard. Do you have a message for our parents?" Loki let out a bitter laugh and shook his head.

"No. You go to _your_ parents, and tell _your_ mother to look long and hard into that crystal pool of hers until she knows how to reverse the damage she has done" Loki glared at him and Thor sighed and walked away, knowing that he wouldn't get anymore from his brother after mentioning their parents.

He stopped the doors from closing right before they met and they slid apart. Loki turned to glare at him again.

" _Our_ parents love you Loki. And as for _our_ mother, I will speak to her. Then I will return" he stepped back and held his brother's gaze as the doors closed and the connection finally broke. He rubbed his hands over his face and resisted the urge to lash out in frustration. He rushed past Barton who stood back to just observe him for now and strode towards the exit of the facility. He had quickly learned that the Bifrost in its weakened state didn't prevent damage to buildings...not that it did that at its full capacity either.

When he walked out he was met by dark skies and the feel of thunder in the air. He didn't control himself as well as he thought apparently. He closed his eyes as the rain started to gently patter his face, finding a strange comfort in it. He opened his eyes and looked up at the grey sky.

"Heimdall, take me home"

* * *

Natasha stood by the window watching the rain fall against the glass. It was supposed to be sunny today and had been until only a couple of minutes ago. She listened to Clint's footsteps when he walked over to her, he only made them sound so she would know it was him.

"Got anything?" She shook her head an moved her head to look around in the disturbingly messy office. "Not surprised coming from this mess" he scoffed and she smirked.

"How's your OCD doing?" He rolled his eyes at her. She turned to fully face him, his incredibly blue eyes looked like they glowed in the dark room illuminated by the grey light coming from the window.

"The data wasn't on his computer, I copied his files but I doubt we will find anything in them. If he is the leak he's probably learned to not be so careless to let anything show there" she looked out the window again, there was still no sign of the low shield operative parking his car in his usual spot yet.

"But that's not what's bothering you" there was a pause after he had said that and Natasha still looked through the window.

"Thor is hiding something. He knows what the connection between Darcy and Loki is but he is lying about it."

"You had a chance to talk to him about it?"

"No. He is avoiding me, which only makes me know he's lying" Clint nodded thoughtfully. Anyone with a secret would be wise to stay away from Nat, she could weasel her way into your brain and drag it out without you realizing it.

"And Darcy?" Natasha turned around suddenly and looked at him.

"She doesn't know anything. And until I find out what that twisted green goblin's plan is she won't be anywhere near him"

"Or you do the exact opposite and still get answers" he saw how her eyes flashed a little when she heard the suggestion and her eyes hardened.

"She's not going to be used as bait" she bit out and Clint sighed.

"I know how you feel Nat. But I'm afraid that that's not your decision"

They stared at each other for a moment until they both heard a car approaching the parking lot and immediately moved towards the exit.

"Is the bug in place?" Clint asked over his shoulder and Natasha made a confirming sound. Natasha turned her black jacket inside out and pulled out a hood from its collar, turning it into a dark grey hoodie. She walked out of the door and over to the end of the corridor to act as a lookout when Clint reinstalled the alarm system and locked the door again. She pulled out her phone and was about to look pretend interested in what was on its screen when she saw a missed text message light it up.

" _I may miss training tomorrow because I might have died from that Russian pastry recipe you gave me. Btw next time you see Tony give him a karate kick in the face :D_ "

For a moment Natasha just stared at the screen and felt strange, but in a comfortable way. She had never had a girl friend... Or she had but she didn't want to think about them. The friendship that Darcy offered was so easy and selfless, Darcy knew that she wouldn't respond to this text but sent it anyways just to make the spy know she was thought of... Except from Clint, Darcy was the only one who did that, or at least one of the people Natasha herself allowed to do that.

Clint finished with the door and joined her, first flipping his jacket inside out and even though it was still black leather it looked a lot more mainstream than the other side of it with its special pockets to contain different gadgets. He pulled a blue baseball cap over his head and put his arm around her shoulders and they both leaned into each other as they walked to obscure their features more.

They passed the shield operative in the door which he held up for them, Clint thanked him in a thick Boston accent and the operative had merely nodded and hardly looked at them. They rounded the corner of the building and got into Natasha's car and waited for their suspect to be detected by their bugs.

"So, what are you going to do about Thor?" Clint asked and threw the baseball cap into the back of the car.

Natasha stared out through the windshield, it didn't rain anymore but the sky was still grey and dull.

"I'm gonna make him talk... One way or another"


	9. 9

_I need the sun to break, you've woken up my heart_   
_I'm shaking, all my luck could change_   
_Been in the dark for weeks and I've realized you're all I need and_   
_I hope that I'm not too late, I hope I'm not too late_

_\- Need the sun to break_

_Asgard, years before_

"Darcy, wake up" Darcy's eyelids fluttered a little and Essa shook her shoulder gently to rouse her more. When Darcy's eyes opened they immediately closed again, being completely blinded by the shining sun. She groaned and rubbed her face.

"What time is it?" She asked and sat up. Her hands touched the soft blanket underneath her and she looked around her. She must have fallen asleep in the middle of their picnic, the basket was open and Essa picked out an apple and gave it to her.

"It's well past midday, we have about an hour before we need to go back to the ward. I have already eaten but I didn't want to wake you before" Darcy took a bite of the apple and took the bread Essa gave her.

"I'm sorry, I haven't been sleeping well lately" she said and continued to eat. Essa watched her suspiciously before adjusting the parasol to cover them better. Darcy shook her head and waved her hand at the parasol. "You can take the shade, I like the warmth"

"Your face is already turning a little red, you should really be covered. You don't want to be beet red at the feast this weekend, do you?" Essa smirked a little but Darcy just shrugged.

"Why would I care?" She met Essa's gaze defiantly and the two women just stared at each other before Darcy turned to look at the plants growing in the palace garden they were resting in. It was the one closest to the ward and there was rarely anyone else there but healers and possible patients. It was quiet and calm, probably why Darcy had fallen asleep.

"Darcy, what's wrong? And don't tell me nothing's wrong because you have not been yourself these last two weeks."

Darcy continued to chew down the food that had lost its taste and started to get painful swallowing since it pushed against the lump in her throat.

"Does it have something to do with how you're not sleeping enough?" Essa prodded but Darcy just sat still and looked straight ahead. "I tell you everything... You can do the same with me"

That one hit hard and Darcy glanced at her friend. Essa's straw blonde hair was shining even in the shadow of the parasol and her blue eyes were concerned. A breeze took a hold of their summer dresses and made them billow slightly. Darcy held down the light blue fabric of her dress to keep it from moving before directing her attention back to Essa.

"Swear you won't tell anyone?" Darcy said and Essa nodded.

"Of course I won't"

Darcy took a quick look around before leaning forward to speak "it's about prince Loki"

"Are you pregnant?" Darcy pulled back and gaped at her friend.

"What! NO"

"Just wanted to be sure" Essa said with a shrug and Darcy continued to gape at her. "Darcy it's hardly a secret that he fancies you, he asked to only be healed by you and only a blind person could miss the way you two look at each other. Now, what about him?"

Darcy finally closed her mouth and started fiddling with her nails. "I'm avoiding him" Darcy swallowed hard before speaking again "I know that nothing could happen between us so I avoid him because I know that if I get too close I'll only... Fall even more in love with him than I already am"

For a moment the only sounds were the birds chirping in the trees and the leaves rustling faintly in the wind, until Essa spoke.

"You hope to save yourself some heartache by leaving him now" she stated and Darcy only nodded and then let out a bitter laugh.

"And I feel like such a fool because it's not working! Every time I see him I realize how much I miss him and it hurts! He knows I'm avoiding him, I can see it on his face when I run away and the anger in his eyes just kills me" Darcy quickly wiped away a tear that escaped and looked at Essa.

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

"I don't. It's natural to want to save yourself some pain when you expect that it's coming. But I think you have made a mistake" Darcy frowned slightly.

"How so?"

"The incident with Myrra was one sided, and you are right he should not be blamed based on unreliable circumstances. The second prince is not as indecisive as Thor who takes mistresses for a week and then leaves them for another. But I think that when Loki wants something, nothing, even the king and queen, can stand in his way" Essa leaned over and brushed back a few dark curls that fell over Darcy's face. "And I'm sure that if you let him, he would fight tirelessly to have you by his side"

Darcy shook her head "I don't want to be a mistress, I care too much about my fathers reputation to ruin it with mine. And besides, what will happen to me when he marries someone else?"

Essa smiled mischievously "I'm not talking about letting you be a mistress. You could be his wife"

"You know I'm too low born to be a suitable-"

"Loki doesn't care about that! Darcy listen to me. He's mindlessly in love with you, trivial things like status doesn't matter when you're in love"

Darcy sat there quietly for a moment before standing up. "I can't know if he really loves me until he says so, but I won't pursue him" Essa opened her mouth to protest "No. It's better this way and it will all soon be forgotten" Darcy started to pack up their things and Essa stood up when she started to pull at the blanket.

She watched Darcy frantically wrestle the blanket down in their basket and sighed. How could living unhappily be better than what could possibly bring them so much joy.

"I would rather live and lose than to not live at all" Essa bit out and Darcy stopped moving to glare up at her. She closed the basket and stalked off towards the stairs leading to the corridor to walk back to the ward. Essa jogged after her.

When Darcy was at the top of the stairs the basket fell out of her hands and landed on the floor with a soft thud. Essa frowned at the sudden action and tense posture Darcy had gotten and rushed up the stairs.

"Darcy?" Her gaze turned from her friend when she saw other figures in the corner of her eyes. Her eyes widened.

"Your highness!" She curtsied quickly at the sight of Thor and Loki. They were accompanied by two guards and a woman. She was dressed in a red modern dress that showed off a lot of cleavage. If she had been more well-endowed it would have looked absurd. She also wore a lot of jewelry, the kind that would be more appropriate at a ball rather than a walk. Her clear red hair was up in a beautiful elaborate style. But her face, though seemingly attractive, expressed nothing but dismay and the eyes that took in all details of Essa's and Darcy's appearances glowed with smugness. Essa glanced briefly at Darcy who stood perfectly still with her gaze lowered.

She noticed how Loki's gaze hadn't left Darcy during the whole encounter. His eyes seemed to fixate on Darcy and take in everything about her almost obsessively. But Darcy still glanced down at the floor.

Her observations were interrupted by Thor's wide smile.

"Lady Essa how many times must I ask you to just call me Thor?" Essa smiled widely back at him. He really was delicious.

"About as many times as I have asked you to just call me Essa" Thor smiled and then turned his gaze to Darcy, he didn't have time to say anything though since the red head cleared her throat loudly. Thor looked down at her in confusion but them seemed to realize why she had done it.

"I apologize, I have not introduced you. Lady Essa, Lady Darcy this is Lady Sygin. Lady Sygin, this is Lady Essa Gunvaldsdottir and lady Darcy Nordenstierna" the three women curtsied a little in greeting. Sygin's blue eyes seemed to zoom in on Darcy.

"Nordenstierna? Any connection to the second general?" Darcy raised her head and met Sygin's gaze steadily.

"I'm his daughter" Sygin nodded in response, her eyes sweeping over Darcy and making judgments in her head.

"What brings you to this part of the palace?" Essa asked in attempt to dissipate the tension in the silent party.

Thor seemed relieved at her question. "Lady Sygin just arrived from the mountain district so we thought to show her around" he turned to Sygin. "We are very close to the healing ward. Lady Darcy and Essa work as healers there"

That got Sygin's attention and her head whipped around to stare at Darcy and Essa.

"Two ladies working as healers? Whatever for?" She sneered and Darcy raised an eyebrow at her attitude.

"There are more important things to do in life than gossiping and walking. You're welcome to visit the ward if you wish for a change" Darcy said and Sygin's eyes narrowed. Essa saw a smile form on Loki's lips as he continued to look at Darcy.

"No thank you. I enjoy pursuits better suited for my position that don't diminish my prospects" Sygin looked up at Loki. "What do you say my prince?"

Darcy tried not to flinch at the sound of what she used to call him come from Sygin's mouth. But she couldn't stop her eyes from snapping up to look at him. Loki's green eyes were already fixed on her and their eyes met, for a moment Darcy lost herself in those eyes, he seemed to study her and for a brief second she allowed herself to enjoy his attention before turning her gaze to Sygin who leaned a little too close against Loki's arm.

"I believe women should engage in any activity they find appealing" Sygin seemed disappointed by Loki's droll answer and then turned to Thor.

"May we continue to walk, I must return to my chambers in time to ready myself for the evening meal" Thor nodded in reply.

"Of course. Ladies it was a pleasure to see you, until next time" Thor said with a bow and a smile and Darcy and Essa curtsied.

"It's been a pleasure, until next time" Essa said and Thor winked at her and she smiled flirtatiously. Darcy didn't notice. She glanced at how Sygin took a hold of Loki's arm and started to walk away, but his body was still angled back towards them just slightly. Thor started to walk away and the guards followed the three of them.

Only then did Darcy dare to look up after them. But just as she did Loki turned his head to look at her and she let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding when she saw the look in his eyes. She turned back quickly and reached for the basket until she realized Essa was holding it.

"Well she was special" Darcy muttered and Essa snorted.

"Very..." Essa glanced at Darcy who met her gaze. "I'm sorry." Darcy shook her head.

"Don't be. You're trying to help me, I know that" she mumbled and Essa nodded.

"Please think about what I said. Don't give up all hope yet" she reached out and squeezed Darcy's hand, Darcy squeezed it back and smiled briefly.

"Come, Eir will be angry if we are late" Darcy pulled Essa along by her hand and they headed down the corridor. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched. Loki stood further down the hall and watched them, or more rather studied them. He studied Darcy's face as she passed right by him, not being able to see him due to his invisibility. She looked sad despite putting on a brave face. That did it.

Whatever had prompted Darcy to act so strangely these past few weeks and avoid him had to stop. He wanted answers...and it was a rare thing that the God of mischief didn't manage to find them, one way or another.

* * *

The outer door slammed shut to Jane's apartment in Stark tower and Darcy jumped in surprise and nearly dropped her bowl of grapes (yes she was trying to be healthy). Darcy looked out from the kitchen in time to see a furious looking Jane barge past her and throw her bag on the couch before storming off into her bedroom and slamming that door as well.

Her mouth was filled with grapes, kind of like a chipmunk with nuts, so it took a while for her to swallow them all.

"Bad day?" Darcy called out and for a moment there was only silence until a pattering of heels could be heard from the other side of Jane's door, before it was suddenly thrown open.

"Loki had his first day in the lab today" Jane said, her voice was in a much higher pitch than normal and her eyes wide open.

"Oh boy...and how did it-"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Jane shrieked and kicked her heels off and sat down on the sofa. Darcy stood and watched her for a moment before slowly creeping closer. She was about to say something again when Jane flew up from the sofa and whipped around to look at her.

"He's making me redo a large portion of my research, because according to him, it will go nowhere!" Jane gestured angrily and then pulled her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"That's not fair! If you don't have a chance of checking the validity of what he says it's unnecessary for you to redo everything" Darcy said and sat down on the couch in front of Jane, who suddenly looked down at her feet.

"We did check it" Jane said so quietly that Darcy almost missed it. She had a feeling where this was going...

"And..." Darcy coaxed and Jane sighed.

"And he was right. I was going nowhere on the lead I had and I had to stand there and listen to Thor, my boyfriend, praising Loki like a fucking Nobel prize winner and celebrate that I was wrong and he was right!" Jane started to pace around frustrated to a frenzy "and the worst part is actually the best part. Loki finding my mistake is going to make big advances in my research. That fucker fixed my research!"

Jane sighed and sat down next to Darcy on the couch. "I don't really have anything to be angry at but I still am. He was doing his job and managed to help me, but I still want to scream at him"

Darcy put her arm around Jane and gave her a side hug.

"He invaded earth with aliens that killed people, he hurt and manipulated the man you love, and he's a smug asshole who thinks he's better than us. You have plenty to be mad about Jane, and it's perfectly fine" Jane sighed and leaned her head against Darcy's head.

"Thank you"

"No problem" Darcy patted Jane's head and they sat in silence for a while.

"Despite the obvious asshole thing he has going for him, was there anything else that he does that you think is annoying? Sometimes it's nice to have small things to be bugged about rather than the actual serious stuff. Like does he bite pens?"

Jane thought for a while and then shook her head. "I'm more angry about the serious issues" she paused "although... He does this weird thing with his mouth when he talks, the corner of his moth sort of pulls back for like a second or so. That's annoying"

Darcy thought back to the conversations she had had with him. She could vividly remember his hypnotic green eyes, his secretive smirks and short laughs, and how ridiculously smooth and elegantly he moved...but she couldn't remember reacting to that specific thing about his lips. She had actively avoided looking at them, why would she? Darcy snapped out of her reminiscing and shrugged at Jane.

"Well there you go, think of it as therapy. Deal with the small things before the big ones...or if it's the other way around... Whatever, I majored in political science so I don't really care" she popped a grape into her mouth and Jane took one as well.

"How's the hacker work going?" Jane asked and Darcy shrugged.

"It's fine. Very vague though" She took another grape.

"Well they aren't going to trust you instantly and give you all the specifics" Jane said and Darcy snorted.

"I know that! But something more specific than ' _look for something that doesn't fit in'_ and _'check for secrets'_ would be nice to follow" That particular lead she investigated had turned out to be empty, whatever secrets that could have been on that drive had been carefully removed, a fact that seemed to tell Natasha more than it did Darcy.

"I miss you in the lab" Jane said and Darcy turned to look at her and pouted.

"So you do think I'm useful" Jane rolled her eyes and chewed her grape. Darcy's usefulness in the lab was for recording data, transferring data, making coffee and making Jane's day full of mindless chatter that made her laugh… Sure Darcy wasn't the best assistant (and she knew nothing about astrophysics) but she was the best friend Jane could have asked for.

"I prefer you over Loki, any day" Jane said and Darcy snorted.

"That's not a very good compliment as there are a number of horrible things that you would prefer over Loki" Darcy glanced at the clock hanging over the TV and jumped up from the couch.

"Well, I'm off to get my ass kicked by Natasha. You're welcome to join me" Darcy said as she put on her jacket. Jane shook her head.

"No thanks. I'm going to mope about my stupid boyfriend and watch crappy TV until I have to go to work tomorrow" Jane said darkly and Darcy leaned over to kiss her head before she left.

"And here I say we don't have normal lives, good for you" She kissed Jane's head, the scientist mumbled something and Darcy smirked. "See you!" Darcy called over her shoulder as she walked out of the apartment and out into the wide corridor. She looked out at the view as she walked to the elevator, the grey skies and impending rain didn't bother her at all. She quite liked the rain.

The elevator behind her pinged and she turned around to step onto it when she jumped back in surprise. Her initial surprise was at seeing people already in the elevator, as she hadn't expected any to be here at the time. Her second wave of surprise was at seeing how the elevator was cramped with shield guards and Thor and Loki. Loki had his cuffs on that were linked together and rested against his body. Other than that he looked surprisingly casual. His green/gold/leather get up was absent and he wore leather pants and a green tunic with a leather jacket over it. His green eyes immediately locked onto her and she couldn't avoid meeting them.

"Step away from the elevator ma'am" one of the guards grumbled and Darcy looked at him, he started to move towards her and she backed away and held her hands up.

"Okay, okay!"

Thor reached forward and grabbed the guards shoulder and glared at him "Your job is not to threaten innocent people, leave her be" the guard looked at Thor with both awe and suspicion, but still backed off from Darcy. Thor looked at her with a small smile.

"Darcy, I think its best that you wait for another elevator" He offered kindly and Darcy immediately shook her head.

"Wasn't planning on anything else" She said and glanced quickly at the guard who avoided looking at her. She backed away even more and glanced at the two other elevator doors that stood next the occupied one.

"You changed your appearance" Darcy's gaze moved from watching the empty corridor to Loki. The guards looked at Loki, they seemed to think about how to handle the sudden statement. Thor carefully watched Darcy, not to see whatever change she had done, but to see her reaction.

Darcy didn't say anything for some seconds. She had cut her hair, but not even visibly, it was only the split ends and not even Jane had noticed. Darcy could hardly see the difference herself, but that was how she liked it.

"So did you" Loki smirked a little at her answer.

"It appears your shield can't tolerate their prisoners to go ungroomed" Darcy looked at his much shorter hair that was sleeked back neatly, just going below his ears. The tangles were gone and he looked healthier without the mess.

"It suits you" Darcy blurted out, but after hearing herself say the words she stopped her incoming mortification and tried to look like she totally meant to say it, tried to act cool and in control. She didn't know if he bought it though, but she had surprised him so that was something. His smirk widened and he raised an eyebrow. He bowed his head just slightly as the doors started to close, his eyes not straying from her face, despite her gaze being directed somewhere else, until the doors closed again and took him away.

He contained his smirk and thought to himself that enduring this puny punishment by shield may prove to not be in vain. _All hope may not be lost after all_. He could feel Thor's gaze on him, heavy with whatever righteous judgement he wanted to preach, Loki ignored him and looked at the shiny metal doors instead. A potential future playing out in his head, and he smiled.

Darcy stepped into the elevator next to the closed one Thor and Loki was in. She felt strangely warm and put the back of her hand to her forehead. It didn't feel like a fever, maybe she was coming down with something. She refused to think it was a reaction to meeting Loki. She had already stated to herself that she wasn't scared of him, she just didn't like him that much. She thought back to the papers in her room with her mind maps, she had no explanation for why he decided to use her specifically… so far Jane's idea of him using her as a puppet was the most probable one, but why did she even care? He would be gone soon and then it wouldn't matter. Her pocket vibrated and she dug out her phone.

_'_ _Trainings cancelled'_ it was an unknown number but she didn't have to be a genius to know that it was Natasha who had used a burner cellphone. Darcy sighed and put her phone down, that was the third time this week, but she couldn't really blame Natasha for it, being a super spy took up a lot of time. But Darcy had a feeling something was going on, Natasha had been leaving a lot of files for Darcy to scan ever since that first USB stick last week. But a cancelled training session equaled going home and binge watching whatever show she could get her hands on so she wasn't complaining.

Darcy opened the door to her apartment and dropped her bag on the floor before heading into her living room/kitchen. She reached for the switch but froze when she saw a dark figure stand in the middle of the room, she felt an immediate rush of adrenaline and started to make the choice between fight or flight when the figure turned towards her.

"You usually get home in 30 minutes, why the extra quarter?" Darcy let out a huge exhale at the sound of Natasha's voice and flipped the switch. The room was illuminated and revealed Natasha in her black spy suit with her hair pulled back from her face.

"Jesus woman you can't scare me like that!" Darcy said and Natasha raised an eyebrow "And besides, what are you doing here? I thought training was cancelled?"

"It is, and I can't stay. I came to leave you this, it's urgent and I need you to head back to the facility to look it over" She held out a small disc, very retro considering the modern technology Darcy was used to receiving. Natasha must have gathered that from the look Darcy gave her and she shook her head.

"I don't know, but it's not my job to complain about the technology they use for crime" She said and started to head over to the window.

Darcy followed her, still holding the disc. "They?" were they looking at a specific organization or group? Natasha whipped around and Darcy stopped abruptly.

"Criminals" Natasha said and Darcy nodded.

"Right" Hopefully Darcy didn't sound too sarcastic. She wasn't naïve enough to think that this wave of work came from different sources, if it had been wouldn't more hackers be involved with them? Sure she still didn't know the shield system yet but it felt weird.

Natasha looked her over, scrutinizing her expression to the smallest detail before turning around to the window again.

"Head back to the facility and look for coordinates, when you have them transfer them to a usb stick and leave it in your bedside table. There is a gun in your bag, don't be afraid to use it." She stopped her rambling of instructions and met Darcy's wide eyed stare. "I'll be gone for a while. Stay safe Darcy"

Darcy briefly wondered how the hell Natasha had managed to sneak a gun into a bag Darcy had with her all day but snapped out of it. "Yeah got it. Stay safe you too, you need that more than I do" Darcy smiled. Natasha gave her a tiny smile and thought of the Norse god that was obsessed with her hacker… her friend, she hoped nothing would happen when she was away. When this mission was over she needed to corner Thor, this had gone too far with her not knowing what the brothers were up to.

"Safety is an illusion" Natasha said and Darcy's face fell slightly. She started to turn towards the window when Darcy's arms wrapped around her from the side. She wrangled down the reflex that wanted her to free herself, and instead just let the younger woman hug her. She then let go and took a step back.

"Then you can come back and be illusioned by it again, be careful" Darcy felt silly for a moment, telling a super spy to be careful, as if she would have lived this long without being so. But she smiled at Natasha anyway before she disappeared through the window. Darcy turned around to investigate if she really did have a gun in her bag when she remembered… there was no fire escape on her building. She ran back to the window and looked around, but there was no hurt Natasha in the alley below or climbing the wall of the building. Darcy closed the window and locked it, then made her way to her fridge and picked out leftovers to bring back with her to the facility.

She had a feeling that it was going to be a long night.


	10. 10

_And I'm craving, craving, craving something I can feel_   
_Where do I go, what do I need, is it ecstasy or is it fear?_   
_Am I on my own, am I even close_   
_'Coz I'm craving, still craving something I can feel_   
_Never thought the night could get so lonely_   
_'til she called me up_

_-Craving_

"Wake up buttercup!" Tony hollered and she felt something hit her in the back of the head and bounce down on her desk, it turned out to be a pen. She took it and spun around in her chair to hurl it back at him but he ducked and it ended up hitting the screen Bruce was looking at and turn it off.

Tony looked at her accusingly "Look what you did" She gaped at him.

"What I did? You started it!" she pushed her chair back and stood up.

"If only you hadn't been sleeping-"

"I wasn't sleeping"

"Yeah well you look and move like you're sleeping so you might as well be sleepwalking" Tony said and Darcy was about to reply when Jane walked between them.

"I did not call for a break from Loki in the lab to put up with this, nor did Bruce so both of you shut up" Both Tony and Darcy looked at her wide eyed, being told off by Jane was not a common occurrence and was not taken lightly.

"Sorry" they both mumbled and Tony went over to turn on Bruce's screen again, who was also looking at them with a small smirk. He enjoyed seeing Tony being brought down to earth, and making him sound more disturbing than Loki certainly did the trick.

"We should probably take a break though, we haven't had lunch yet" They all looked at the time, it was almost three o'clock. "Darcy you're welcome to sleep while the rest of us eat" He teased gently and Darcy play glared at the adorable scientist.

"I'm good thanks" She walked over to the small fridge in the lab where she had put the thai food. She had actually prepared food but when scientists had their groove on they weren't really receptive to it.

"What did you do anyway to get so shot? Nightly rendezvous with paramours?" Tony asked and placed one of the thai boxes in the microwave.

"Absolutely not" she had a feeling that telling Tony about her hacker job, though not in Natasha's instructions, was a bad thing. It had taken much longer to decrypt the data than she thought, she had gotten the disc two days ago and she had been awake for the majority of that time. But now she was done, although the amount of coordinates meant nothing to her, she hoped it would mean something to Natasha.

"Good, our poor Loki would be devastated" Darcy glared at him as he took a mouthful of noodles and walked away.

"Tony" Bruce admonished and Tony looked around innocently. Bruce smiled in thanks as she gave him his soup and he walked over to the table and sat down with Tony.

"Jane, your massaman curry is ready" Darcy called over to Jane's station but only got a mumbled reply. She was back in her science vortex. Darcy walked over and put her plate down in front of the physicist that was bent over some readings. "One line of data equals one spoon of curry, got it?"

Jane only mumbled something dismissively and Darcy rolled her eyes and walked back to her food and sat down with the boys.

"So, have you seen high and mighty lately?" Tony asked, completely ignoring the look he got from Bruce. Darcy frowned.

"Only once" Darcy answered before chewing down some noodles. She thought as she chewed and then looked at Bruce in particular. "How is work going with him around?" both men thought for a moment until Tony went back to blurting out his every opinion, as usual.

"To be bag of cats crazy he's surprisingly easy to work with, but that may be due to our resident hulk. The inferior speeches are at a minimum and I can honestly say that he is kinda funny" Darcy's eyes widened and Tony shrugged. "True. And annoying him is the highlight of my day so I enjoy working with him" Darcy smirked at Tony's attitude and glanced at Bruce who still looked like he was deep in thought.

"Is it okay having him around?" Darcy asked, genuinely concerned. She had heard about the helicarrier and how it had been Loki's plan to provoke Bruce all that time. She also knew, maybe not as much as the avengers, that Bruce didn't like the other guy and didn't want to turn into the Hulk. If Loki was a problem to Bruce, then he shouldn't have to work in the same environment as him.

Bruce smiled a little smile and folded his glasses and placed them in his breast pocket. "He is very quiet unless you expect him to talk to you. Surprisingly compliant as well. We have only worked with him for three days so these things may change but… he said something to me the other day" Tony looked at him in surprise, apparently he hadn't been around for that. Darcy almost leaned forward in curiosity, afraid that she was going to miss whatever the scientist had to say.

Bruce had a faraway look in his eyes when he spoke "He apologized and said 'I know what it is to fear one part of yourself, and I regret you having to suffer yours'" he looked at both Darcy and Tony who had equal looks of astonishment on their faces. That _Loki_ had apologized was huge in itself, the second part was just mind blowing, even though Darcy didn't quite know what he was talking about.

"Wow" that was about as articulate Darcy could be after hearing that and Bruce just nodded.

"Pretty much"

"How's the project going?" She knew that question would break the confused silence and what do you know, both men launched into explain whatever machine and formula that was going to do… stuff and Darcy sat back and enjoyed the change in conversation.

On the way home that night she looked at the buildings that had been damaged during the invasion, they started to look better and she felt better knowing that people could live in them again soon. It was impressive that so much had been done in only three months. She got lost in thought and before she knew it she was in front of her door and unlocking it, she had developed a habit of looking for spies in her apartment before stepping in, it crunched beneath her feet and she looked down at the pile of letters and then picked them up. _Fucking bills_. She sighed and put them on the table in the hall. She then walked straight up to her bedside table and pulled out the first drawer.

The USB was gone. Darcy sighed in relief, now that it was out of her hands she felt slightly better about the whole situation. It started to rain outside and Darcy finally laid down to go to sleep, she might even take a tiny sleep in tomorrow. She was pretty sure she was worth it.

Her night was as always dreamless… But that would change soon.

* * *

**_Asgard, years before._ **

Darcy locked the doors to her chambers and started to slither out of her work robes on the way to her bedroom, the buttons on the front of her robe was particularly hard to get out today and she groaned loudly. It had already been a frustrating day and she didn't need the buttons to be difficult. She finally got off the last button and she shrugged off the outer robe. Beneath the outer layer they wore a very simple white gown, she started to unlace it at the back and it came off easily enough. The air in her chamber was warm, but despite that she got goosebumps when the air touched her bare skin. She undid her braid and she enjoyed the feeling of her hair caressing her back gently. If there was one thing Darcy was extra pleased about concerning her appearance, it was her hair. Her dark brown locks always had a silky feel and looked good on even her worst days. She sat down on her big bed and started to brush through it carefully, she only had time for a few brush strokes before it knocked on her door. She looked around frantically, she couldn't open her door naked!

"Darcy, it's your father!" She heard his call from the other room and she sighed in relief.

"Father come in! I'll come out soon, I just need to change!" She closed her bedroom doors just as the outer door to her chamber opened. She needed to remember to lock it before she went to change for next time.

"What did you say darling?"

"I need to get dressed" Darcy called and grabbed a pale lavender summer dress, she put on a wide silver belt around her waist and walked over to twirl in front of the mirror. The shiny blue fabric went really well with the belt. It would have looked better with her silver bracelets but she didn't need to dress up for her father. He was a simple man and never required her to do things more ' _appropriate to her station'_ , she rolled her eyes and then walked over to open the doors.

Her father had sat down on the sofa she had in the entry/sitting room. He looked at the row of bookshelves she had along the wall, the light coming from her small balcony lit up the room and when he looked at her his blue eyes caught the light and she could see them smile.

She walked over and wrapped her arms around him. "I didn't know you were coming to see me, I thought you would be too busy training the new soldiers" she looked him over when they pulled apart. Apart from a few scratches on his cheek and a tired look on his face he looked healthy.

"I was but I have not seen you for nearly a fortnight, so I thought to check in" they sat down on the couch and a she saw how he clenched his jaw as he sat down.

"Your back?" she put a hand on his arm and he covered it with his own much larger one. He gave her a chiding look, telling her to stop worrying so much.

"three days on horseback will cause harm to anyone's back, now stop your worrying and tell me about your day"

She gave him an equally chiding stare "Father why are you on horseback? Don't tell me you're in charge of teaching them to ride, you were supposed to tell Tyr about your back"

He shook his head with a small smile "I know, I know. But I'm done with them now anyways so they can make do with someone else to teach them" Darcy opened her mouth to speak again but he grabbed her hand and gave her a look to be quiet.

"Enough. Tell me about your days, anything to do when we are not under attack?" he smirked and Darcy sighed, but still smiled.

"Yes, plenty to do actually. The nearer we get to midsummer the more people with rashes and other infections from walking in the forest increases. It's fascinating how so many different flowers and plants can cause the body to react differently from person to person" Her father nodded with a considering look on his face and she had to laugh a little. "But you would rather try to heal a man cut with a sword rather than to handle allergic reactions"

Eddard laughed a little and nodded slightly. "That's because I have knowledge of how to treat a sword wound, depending on the depth of it." He looked at her and she felt ridiculously happy at how proud he looked over her. "You still enjoy healing"

Not a question but still "Yes, very much. It takes up a lot of time but I do enjoy it. I'm hoping to advance into more magical medicine soon, like Eir"

Eddard's face turned only slightly serious but Darcy noticed. She waited for him to speak again.

He sighed slightly before speaking again, their equally blue eyes meeting "Despite healing taking up a lot of your time, I would still ask you this. I would like you to spend more time with the court"

Darcy's mouth dropped open only a little, just because the request was so unexpected. Neither of them really liked court life, that had been more of her mother's area of expertise and comfort zone. Her father preferred their country estate, and if he ever had to spend an extended amount of time in the castle he would prefer to be on the training grounds.

"Why?"

"Because I would have them know you. You are the daughter to the head of the Nordenstierna family and the court needs to know you, show them how graceful and kind and beautiful you are. Above all, show them that you're worthy" He squeezed both her hands with his own as if to put extra pressure behind his words. Darcy shook her head and frowned.

"Why? What…Why do they need to know me? What do I need to be worthy for. I don't understand, you never told me you wanted me to spend more time at court"

"I didn't need you to before"

"Then why now?" She pushed and she saw how her father sighed only slightly before rolling back his shoulders and straightening himself.

"I know about Prince Loki" Darcy's eyes widened "I don't trust him yet, I would not trust any man to have you honestly. But from what I can discern about his feelings about you, he seems to genuinely care for you. That is why you need to go to court" Darcy opened her mouth to protest, against going to court or against Loki and her, she didn't know. She didn't make it far though until her father gave her a stern look and held up a hand to keep her quiet.

"So if he asks for permission to court you, you won't be treated with hostility by the court. If you appear from nowhere and the prince suddenly courts you they will not like you, they won't know who you are and they will not like that." He gave a small smile "If your mother taught me one thing about court life it is that what they hate the most is ignorance about each other, and what they love the most is gossip."

He gently pushed back one of her loose curls behind her ear again and then kept his hand against his cheek. "You do not have an ounce of evil in you. That's why I was afraid to go to court with you, I feared that they would infect you with gossip and trivial hatred against whatever annoyed them. But I know by now that they won't get to you" He smirked a little and withdrew his hand to cover hers again. "You are too bloody headstrong for that"

Darcy laughed at that but then silenced again. "The thing with me and the Prince…It's over. I think I have ended it. I have been avoiding him like the plague"

"Why?" Darcy's eyes flew up from her hands to meet her father's gaze. He seemed genuinely confused.

Darcy laughed "Because of the reasons you just said! The court won't like me, I can't prove to be worthy of a prince. I am your daughter, and we are high up in society, yes! But princes marry princesses for alliances to keep their realms safe, I can't offer anything like that. And besides, I am a healer. People frown at my choice to work when I don't have to, I am already flawed in their opinion" she shook her head "Odin would never approve"

Her father was quiet for a long while and she just tried to keep her tears at bay by breathing steadily.

"Bugger the king then" Darcy's eyes widened as her father stood up before her. He crossed his big arms over his chest, his big frame seemed more imposing when it was coupled with that determined look in his eyes.

"Speak to the prince again, visit court more often, I'll talk to the seamstress in town about fitting new dresses for you"

"Father no-" Darcy shot up but he gently grabbed her shoulders and put her down on the sofa again. Getting down on his knees in front of her.

"I won't let you be unhappy Darcy, and if the Prince is who makes you happy, I won't stand back and watch you let him go."

"What if he doesn't want me anymore?" She asked, her voice sounding smaller than it used to.

"If he doesn't want you he's a fool, and you are better without him" He leaned forward to kiss her forehead before getting up.

"Now I will leave, I have business to attend to" He smiled and she nodded.

He was almost by the door when she called for him again. "Thank you, papa" He looked back and smiled a warm smile.

"Always" He turned to open the door before stopping himself and turning back. "But Darcy, I do insist on a _long_ engagement" then he walked out and closed the door behind him. She exhaled deeply and fell back against the couch.

Her head pounded with all they had talked about. Was it worth trying before being rejected? Was Loki worth falling completely for only to have him torn away by his father's judgement (and the court's)? She curled up and rubbed her chest, it had a hollow feeling whenever she thought about him and it was terribly uncomfortable. She pondered the issue of loving even if you lose it until she fell asleep.

Her dreams were of no significance and she wouldn't remember them when she woke up. For now they were just colors and sounds floating in her subconscious. After all, she couldn't be forewarned by her dreams about something that had not happened yet.

* * *

- _six months-_

Darcy backed into the lab door, her hands were full with her phone in one hand and a caramel bomb of coffee in the other one. The door opened behind her and she continued to back into the room before spinning around on her heel and walking into the lab.

"Jane, sorry they didn't have the blueberry muffins. But the hot barista took my order today, he still writes Dixie on my cup and I'm starting to think he's doing it to piss me off. Anyway, I still think I'm gonna-" She bumped her thigh into a desk and then lifted her eyes from her phone to look around so she wouldn't do it again.

That was when she saw that the room was occupied by more than just Jane… "Tap that…" Darcy mumbled out still looking at the people in the room. Or more specifically the megalomaniac trickster god who was smirking at her. Darcy turned to look at Jane who just rolled her eyes.

"I thought it was my day today" Darcy bit out and the astrophysicist looked up from her screen to look at Darcy. Thor was leaning against the desk next to her. Bruce and Tony were smirking over at their screens. Hill was standing with arms crossed in the middle of the room, seeming like she was just overlooking the crazy god who had walked over to Tony, his hands were shackled together and that made her a bit calmer. But that still didn't explain why he was here when _she_ was supposed to be here.

"It was but we found something and-"

"And it seems like they can't live without my astounding expertise" Loki interrupted and Jane glared at him. He lifted what looked like a blueprint from the desk next to Tony and contemplated it. "This is what you want to use as a channel?" Loki asked and briefly looked at Tony who nodded. Loki turned back his attention to the blueprint.

"Stark what does 'tap that´mean?" Tony's eyebrow's shot up and Bruce hid a smile behind his hand as he looked at them. Darcy just gaped at them. Loki stood with his back to her but Tony swiveled around to look back at her with a smirk on his face.

"I'm asking you because if I turned to ask miss Lewis, agent Hill would get hizzy and my brother would get that stern and judgy expression on his face that I simply can't stand"

"Of course" Tony smirked and Darcy glanced at Thor who was indeed looking at Loki with an angry look on his face. "It means she's going to have sex with him" No one could have seen the reaction Stark's words had on Loki since it was a very small one, but since Tony was standing closest to him and was studying him, he saw the small widening of his eyes and noticed the interrupted inhale of air.

"I see" the room seemed to stop a little at Loki's words and Thor slid down from the desk to stand, his body starting to tense up to be ready if Loki would suddenly lash out. "I wouldn't recommend having sexual relations with someone who isn't intellectual enough to spell your name, but to each their own" He turned around to look back at Darcy who had one eyebrow raised and looked annoyed. " _Dixie_ "

His smirk really did it "It might be hard for you to understand how the selection process works since you have been alone with your own hand for like hundreds of years, but I prefer real people so I can accept small mistakes" Darcy snapped and then sipped her coffee.

"Ouch" Bruce mumbled without looking up from his pad. Loki just stood still for a moment and then a slow smirk started to spread on his face. Darcy wanted to punch herself a little for thinking that it was attractive. She also wanted to punch herself for noticing how good he looked in those black pants and how the black coat he had really fit his tall body. And she also really wanted to punch him.

"Then have fun with your dyslectic barista then, _Dixie_ " he turned around and looked at the blueprint again so he missed her pissed of glare and rude hand gesture. Darcy looked over at Jane who was looking down at her screen.

"I'll leave if you don't need me" Darcy called out and Jane just mumbled something inaudible which pissed Darcy off even more so she barged out and made sure to slam the door behind her.

Both Tony and Bruce glanced at Loki, waiting for some kind of psychotic reaction to come but when nothing happened Tony felt compelled to make it happen.

"So your ladylove is allowed to see other men? See, I wouldn't be so open minded" He said flippantly.

"Shut up" Tony smirked in victory at the deep growl from Loki and then went back to work. Loki still held the chart displaying the machine Stark wanted to build to conjure the bifrost, he wasn't really looking at it anymore. He was trying to restrain his annoyance at Darcy's behavior, after all she didn't know better but that still didn't make him feel any less forgiving about it. And he could practically feel his brothers gaze boring into his back which angered him even more, he was not some kind of child that needed to be watched constantly in case a tantrum would ensue. He hated earth, he hated that he had to be stuck here, and he hated how Darcy appeared to him.

There was just _hate_ right now, as people would expect from him, and he desperately longed to go back to better times…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being so sweet and leaving kudos and reviews, it makes me smile.  
> Hope you are enjoying the story so far.


	11. 11

_Cause it's not right, I'm magnetised_   
_To somebody that don't feel it_   
_Love paralyzed, she's never gonna need me_   
_But sure as the world keeps the moon in the sky_   
_She'll keep me hanging on_

_-magnetised_

_Asgard, years before_

What felt like just moments after her father had left Darcy winced awake at the sound of knocking against her door. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, momentarily disoriented. More knocks came and she stood up.

"I'm coming!" She looked down at her dress and ran her hands over it to smooth out some wrinkles in the soft lavender satin. She didn't know how her face looked but she didn't have time to go to the mirror and check it either so she just ran over to the door.

She opened the doors and then frowned softly. "Father? Is something the matter?" Her father smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, which in turn looked strange in some way. She stepped aside and let him in.

"Nothing is the matter dear, I was just done in town" his tone suggested nothing about if it had gone well or otherwise so she just nodded and walked back to the sofa.

"What did the seamstress say" Her eyes narrowed a little as her father went still, he then turned around to the door and she heard her locks shut. When he turned back his face was different, as was his form. Now that she thought about it, his clothes were not the same as before. Now he wore black pants and a black coat instead of his grey coat with their crest on from before.

He suddenly waved his arm and her father's face disappeared and was replaced with someone else's.

"Loki!" Darcy shrieked and Loki just sighed and walked towards her. "How dare you impersonate my father! You should leave-"

"I will not leave" His tone was hard and she reined in her frustration to try to hear him out. "and as for how I dare to impersonate your father, I would not have needed to had you not avoided me so viciously. How dare you" He growled as he walked towards her and only stopped just before their bodies met. She looked up into his narrowed eyes and thought back to her father's words from earlier, _speak to the prince again._

"You are angry with me" Her calm voice seemed strangely out of place and Loki seemed to get even more frustrated by her words.

"Yes!"

"For avoiding you"

"Yes" His voice wasn't as loud as before and he contemplated her strange calmness in this situation.

Darcy swallowed hard before looking up at him again and he shook his head. "You had no reason to avoid me"

Darcy was quiet for a long while before answering "I thought I did". Loki frowned at her words.

"You no longer think so?"

"I don't know" Darcy sighed hopelessly. The two Asgardians stood and observed each other carefully for a moment, the anger that they both had summoned at the start seemed to disappear gradually as their silence continued.

"Why did you avoid me?" Loki asked, his voice still remaining hard, he wanted to be angry with her for her strange behavior, now even more than before since she basically admitted to it.

Darcy glanced up at him before turning her gaze away. "I was afraid…" She interrupted herself with a slightly panicked giggle before throwing her hands up in the air in a surrendering gesture. "I was scared that I was falling in love with you, and I even believed that you fancied me as well. But I knew that I wasn't a good match for you, for about hundreds of reasons that I'm so tired of repeating to myself, so I avoided you" She looked up and met Loki's wide eyed stare and she sighed.

"I thought that if I did, it would just go away" her throat started to hurt from the tears she was holding back and she looked away from him "I apologize for causing you any form of discomfort, if you still wish for my company as a friend I will of course oblige" the silence that followed was deafening and to Darcy it was near to painful. A gentle hand on her shoulder surprised her and she looked up at Loki again who had an unreadable expression on his face.

"Did it work?" Darcy frowned at the question but shook her head miserable.

"No" it came out as a whisper, her breath caught in her throat as his hand moved from her shoulder up to her cheek. His thumb gently caressed her cheek and she held her breath, afraid that if she breathed too hard she would lose contact with his hand. Her eyes widened and she stared up at Loki when she heard him laughing.

He laughed and her temper flared up instantly and slapped his hand away from her face. "Don't laugh at me!" She shrieked and Loki tried to rein in his laughter.

"Oh, Darcy" He exhaled before laughing briefly. He shook his head with a smile "I'm not laughing at you"

She gaped at him, _how dare he!_ "Of course you are!" She started to step back when he moved towards her bit he was quicker and trapped her within his arms.

She let out a muffled sound of surprise when his lips caught hers. He brought his arms around her waist tightly and one of them reached up her back to bring her closer to him as they kissed. Her eyes finally closed and her arms went around his neck and her hands went through his carefully slicked back hair and ruffled it. He groaned against her lips as her nails scraped against his neck, and kissed her deeper, she felt tingly and warm at how close they were.

After what both felt like a second and an eternity they stopped and Loki stared at her with wonder in his eyes, her lips were slightly swollen and her breathing was hard.

"I'm not laughing at you" He said and kissed her mouth quickly, leaving her with a surprised look on her face. "I'm laughing because you have made me the happiest man in existence!" He smiled widely and Darcy did too.

"I don't know what to say!" Darcy giggled with a happy grin on her face. Loki smirked and brought his lips to hers.

"We don't need to speak" He laid her down on the sofa, and true to his words they didn't speak. For Darcy it was more than enough, she felt complete and the overwhelming sense of happiness was almost difficult to handle.

For the first time the Prince didn't feel like he needed to be more than he was, he didn't need to compete or make himself out to something he wasn't. He was enough. He was happy. He felt whole.

* * *

- _seven months-_

Darcy watched the almost complete buildings from Avengers tower while waiting for her elevator, the construction progress had been all over the news lately, people would be able to move into them soon and soon the signs of the attack would be all gone.

_Except one obvious sign…_ Darcy sighed as she walked into the lab. Loki was sitting looking at some equations, he didn't acknowledge her presence with anything other than a quick glance her way before he looked down at his notes again. No one else was in the lab area which was unusual. She looked over at Loki warily. He had been nothing but civil and helpful, he liked to tease and he could get into a foul mood sometimes…a lot actually, but during these seven months that he had been captive here he hadn't done anything too evil or villainy.

Despite that, shield hadn't dropped the extensive safety precautions that surrounded him, and that was a good thing obviously, since he could be waiting for them to lower their guard to strike. But having him around was easier, for Jane, Tony and Bruce and even Darcy. She had spent enough time in his presence without him making any strange comments about her, for her to eventually decide to ignore that they had happened. It could after all be that, as Jane said, he couldn't use her for whatever plan he had anymore.

Darcy dropped her bag on the table. "Where's everyone?"

"I did not care enough to ask" He answered without lifting his gaze from the paper. Darcy rolled her eyes.

"Great" She exhaled and he looked up at her, his piercing eyes catching hers, she felt like she should look away but at the same time it felt like she couldn't.

"Should you really be here? Not that I am opposed to your company, far from it" his words were matched with a small mischievous smile, and if he hadn't been the guy who destroyed New York and an evil space prince she would have jumped him. Instead she tried to cover the little smile forming on her face by talking.

"I needed to talk to Tony, is he coming back?"

"I should think so. They can't leave me alone for too long" He said and looked down on his papers again, she hadn't missed the bitterness in his voice.

"Can you tell him that I was looking for him?"

"Of course" He still looked down on his papers and she turned around to pick up her bag. Before she stepped out of the door she stopped suddenly, despite knowing that it was a bad idea she turned around and looked back at Loki.

"Hey" He looked up at her call "Leaving you alone at all is a good sign, keep up with the good behavior and lack of evil plans and maybe you can have more privacy, just maybe" He nodded slowly and she turned to walk out.

"And do you believe that?" She looked back at him in confusion. "That I will maintain my ' _good_ _behavior'_ and not make ' _evil_ _plans'_ " he sneered out the words she had used but somehow the question seemed genuine to her.

"It's up to you, I think you can if you want to" she said with a shrug, but when she looked back at him he just stared at her. When he didn't say anything for a while Darcy finally left. When she rounded the corner that led back to the elevators she nearly ran into Tony, and Captain America.

"Oh, I was looking for you! Hi Steve!" Tony shrugged at her exclamation, while Steve waved back at her adorably.

"All ladies look for me, what's up buttercup?" he started to walk in the direction of the lab but she grabbed his arm to make him stay put, he frowned slightly.

"It's kinda private" She looked at Steve apologetically who just smiled.

"It's not a problem, I'll go and keep watch over Loki while you talk" He nodded and then started to walk away before he turned to her suddenly. "Oh I almost forgot, Natasha is back at base, its only temporary but she would like to see you before she leaves" He watched as Darcy's face lit up with a megawatt smile.

"Hell yes! I get to her after this" Steve nodded with a smile and walked off to the lab.

"Okay, spit it out what do you need from uncle Tony" She raised an eyebrow at him with a slightly put off look on her face.

"Don't call yourself uncle Tony, it's very creepy. And I need your help" She sighed a little and shook her head "It's mostly my own fault and I don't know what to do"

"Tell me" He crossed his arms over his chest and Darcy couldn't help but feel a little comforted by the worried look in his eyes.

"I'm being kicked out of my apartment, I have been late on rent for like a couple of months now and the bills keep piling up and I can't keep up anymore." She sighed and started to ramble "and I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep up when I moved there but I wanted to be independent and get away from Jane and Thor sucking face all over the apartment, living with a couple is a fucking nightmare! And I know it's a lot of money to ask for, or maybe not to you 'cause you're a billionaire and all but still! And I promise I will get you back-"

"Nonsense" Darcy was stunned by his words for only a minute followed by disappointment and hopelessness before he spoke again "You'll just live in the tower, no biggy" he then started to walk away towards the lab doors.

"No that's not what I meant!" Darcy called after him and he just waved his hand in dismissal.

"Live in the tower and pay me back in sarcasm and in whatever assistant duties you have for Jane"

"But Tony-"

"Nope!" he then disappeared through the lab doors and she was left in the corridor, still not sure of what had just happened. She sighed and walked back to the elevators, she could get back to Tony later but right now she wanted to see Natasha before she left again. While she waited for the elevator she looked out at the snow falling over the city, contemplating what a mess her life was.

* * *

The doors closed behind Darcy after she stepped out from the lab and he was left staring at the spot that she had previously been standing in. He was becoming increasingly frustrated about his situation, being a 'prisoner' was not entertaining and renting his brain to Foster's research was near to painful, not that it wasn't interesting, she was really onto something, he just didn't want to help her get there. And the lack of Darcy the last few months had been irritating, she was around more now and she didn't seem to shy away from him when they accidentally met on the way to whatever place he was being transported to. His patience seemed to pay off more day by day, now she could even talk to him when they were alone.

He was just disappointed that she didn't dare to question him anymore, she had been so curious in the beginning, and she wouldn't be the same person that she had been before if her insatiable curiosity had been taken from her in this life. He suspected that it had something to do with Foster, her obvious hatred for him couldn't be missed. She must have said something to Darcy, and Thor must have said nothing, because if he had Darcy should have ambushed him with her questions months ago and yet nothing had happened.

He was also surprised that the red woman hadn't interrogated him more, but he remember hearing something from Stark and Banner about her being on a mission somewhere. Which suited him excellently since he didn't like the thought of her and Darcy being friends, he had figured as much from Starks constant rambling and Foster's comments about Darcy's training.

The door suddenly opened and a short shifty looking young man stepped through. Loki made himself invisible, the man was clearly up to something. The man looked back out in the corridor before he finally closed the door and walked into the room. He seemed to scan the room before he decided what screen to approach. He picked up a small stick and Loki recognized it since it was similar to those Stark used to transfer information onto, so he was out to steal something.

His fingers were itching to form some of the most painful spells imaginable to cast on the intruder, but the second before he did he decided against it. An all too aggressive attack would not paint him in a good light with the Avengers, or Darcy, and he needed their approval for the time being until he came up with a better plan to get Darcy away from here.

So instead he made himself visible. He changed his clothing as well to dark jeans and a black shirt, he tried not to cringe at the look of the Midgardian clothes on him.

"Are you looking for something?" The man jumped in fright and spun around to look at him, his pale eyes open wide in alarm, but he still smiled a shaky smile.

"Oh, I didn't realize anyone was here. I'm a research assistant and I was just looking around" _Such a lie._ The man ran a shaky hand through his dirty blond hair. His nervousness grew when Loki didn't speak.

"Is that so" the man nodded and seemed to regain some of his footing. He looked over Loki hesitantly.

"I thought no one was working right now, who are you?" So the idiot must have studied the log for entrances in the lab, how lucky then that Loki didn't need one.

"We already have a research assistant, who are you?" Loki said with the intention of sounding haughty, and the man seemed frustrated by it as expected.

"I'm Eric Pierce, and I was assigned here" _Lie._

"By who?" _Eric_ seemed to get even more anxious and annoyed with every question, clearly whatever he had meant to do here had not included an interrogation.

The man tried to laugh it off "I haven't got a clue, these higher ups don't bother to learn our names so I don't bother learning theirs" He smiled, his eyes pleading for Loki to fall for it.

But Loki just smirked. "A fatal flaw of yours it appears" The man seemed to hold his breath and looked around the room hesitantly.

"Where should I start assisting?" Loki said nothing but continued to stare the other man down. He didn't move his gaze when the door opened.

"What is this?"

"Ah, Captain!" Loki greeted at the sound of the captain's voice. "We have a new research assistant, it seems" Loki looked over at the captain. He seemed to have changed from his spandex monstrosity to a more Midgardian look. The captain met his gaze briefly before looking at the other man.

"What's your clearance?" The man seemed to cover slightly at the commanding tone the captain had.

"3-"

"Not enough"

"I was assigned here though!"

"Oh yes, conveniently he doesn't remember the name of those who placed him here" Loki interrupted and the man glared at him while the captain contemplated his words and met his gaze steadily.

Loki shrugged "That wouldn't have been such a large crime on its own, but he has been lying about everything from the moment he entered this room. His name, his purpose… and he looked like he was going to steal information from us when he walked in here." He met the captains gaze with a small smirk. "But then, what do I know of lies?"

"Who the fuck are you?" Loki looked over at the other man who was red with anger, he could practically hear the adrenaline pumping through the thief's veins.

"Such language" the captain started to approach the man but Loki stood up and walked towards him as well. "I can manage, _captain_ " the captain looked between him and the other man but then kept his eyes on Loki, he was clearly capable of recognizing the biggest threat.

"Step back" Steve could see the fire in Loki's eyes, he would be stupid to give the man to Loki as the god would surely kill him. When they were distracted the man bolted and tore down desks to block their way. Steve had only taken a few strides before the man was laying on the floor convulsing, his body crackling with electricity.

He looked back at Loki who was standing at the same place as before with his hand stretched out towards the man and a manic looking glint in his eyes.

"Loki!" the convulsing stopped and Loki lowered his arm.

"He's all yours " Loki said with a sardonic smile and then sat down in the chair next to him.

The doors burst open and Tony walked in with a apprehensive look on his face, he must have heard the desk being turned over. He looked down at the man laying on the floor who was now unconscious.

"What just happened" He asked and looked over at Loki who was reading some notes among turned over desks, the contrast was kinda funny. And also… "Are you wearing normal clothes?" Loki raised an eyebrow at him but there was a small smirk there. "and why is there an unconscious guy on the floor"

Steve got off his phone. "I called security, and Hill. According to Loki he looked like he was trying to steal information and that he was lying about being a new research assistant here" Tony frowned.

"We don't need a new assistant, I didn't order one" He looked over at Loki. "He tried to steal something?"

"He was about to steal information probably, look into his left pocket" Steve crouched next to the man and pulled out the small stick from his pocket. Tony quickly grabbed it and walked over to a computer and plugged it in. Loki stood up and walked over to them, ignoring the suspicious look on the Captain's face.

"This is strange" Tony mumbled and the Captain looked down at the computers analysis of the chip. "the amount of data that could be stored on this is impossibly huge, mine can't even contain half this number"

"Who could make this then?" the captain asked and Stark stared at the screen.

"I actually have no idea" the doors opened and security came through, Steve walked over to them to give directions to get him to shield. Tony looked over at Loki who was studying how the security team carried the suspect away.

"I have a feeling that Rogers didn't take him down" Loki didn't meet his gaze.

"feelings are unreliable"

"Am I wrong?"

"No" they stood and watched each other in silence for a while, and then Stark slapped his shoulder.

"Good job" Stark then walked over to continue working and Loki followed after recovering from the small shock of Stark's gesture.

…

Natasha got out of Fury's office at the same time as Thor stepped out of the elevator on the other side of the short corridor. It saved her the trouble of hunting him down as she had planned.

"Natasha, I am pleased to see that you are well. How is the mission?" Thor said as they met at the middle and she nodded.

"It's going according to plan. How's Jane?" Thor seemed surprised at her question at first but then smiled.

"Jane is very well, her work is making quick progress now that Stark, Banner and Loki are working with her"

"And how is that going?"

"…It was hard for her in the beginning, as expected, the same for Banner but both of them are much more comfortable with him now. I understand that Loki even apologized to Banner when they started working together"

Natasha's eyebrows rose slightly at that "Why?"

"Because he regrets his actions and how he involved the hulk" Thor said with a small frown.

"Do you really believe that?" She asked in a low voice and Thor's frown deepened.

"He is my brother, of course I believe in him, I know him better than any of you after all"

"I know, that's why I don't trust you to keep others safe when Loki is concerned" Thor seemed shocked at her statement and she kept going "Loki is planning something and Darcy is a part of that, you are hiding something. Something that could help in protecting Darcy and others but instead you have chosen to ignore her safety in favor of your brother's plans."

"My brother would not harm Darcy-"

"And when you decide to share the reasons why you think that with me I may believe you." She stepped closer to him and her glare could burn through flesh. "Tell me what you know, or I will make your brother's life a living hell. Because no matter what you think about him, that is what he deserves"

Their intense glaring was interrupted by the elevator opening and Steve stepping out. "Is he in?"

"Yeah" Natasha answered and finally looked away from Thor to look at Steve. The captain seemed too preoccupied to notice the tense atmosphere.

"Loki has been spotted by an outsider, it's likely that he wasn't recognized but it's still an issue" Steve said to the both of them but looked at Thor, he then looked over at Natasha. "There was an attempt to steal information from the lab, he's downstairs now"

"Do you want me to see him before I leave?" Nat asked but Steve shook his head.

"I don't know if you'll have time, he's unconscious for now and I don't know when he'll wake up" He looked over at Thor "Loki took him down with a spell" Thor raised an eyebrow.

"Loki helped?"

"Yes. He knew the man was lying about his identity and purpose there and he stopped the guy from running away" Thor smiled proudly and Steve couldn't help but feel happy for him.

"My brother is capable of goodness" Thor said and glanced briefly at Natasha who maintained her neutral expression, but was boiling inside.

"It appears so" Steve muttered and walked over to Fury's office. When he was gone the other avengers looked back at each other.

"I appreciate your concern for Darcy, I share your concern. Which is why I won't tell you what I know"

"What does he want with her?" Natasha near growled and Thor shook his head.

"I think you know that he would not hurt her, and you are intelligent enough to have an idea of why"

_Silence_ "he's attracted to her...he's in love with her" Natasha stated and Thor seemed to hesitate before nodding. " _How_? There is no explanation for when he would have had the time to fall for her enough to surrender the _scepter_ to her"

"He will not hurt her Natasha" Thor ignored her question and she was about to ask again before he stopped her "You cannot trust in my brother, I understand that. And I know it is hard to trust me when I am withholding information from you…But Fury does that to all of us near constantly and you trust him, so I ask you to trust in me if only in the part where I say that I will protect Darcy. I have spent a long time doing so and I don't intend to stop"

Thor sighed tiredly before turning away and walking to the elevator and escaping into it. He had given her too much information, but the secrecy was beginning to be too hard for him especially when his friends only wanted knowledge enough to help. But when he met the widow's gaze before the doors closed in front of him he knew she wouldn't settle for this, what he thought was too much was clearly not enough for her.

_She wouldn't stop until she had found out everything._


	12. 12

_I said, No I don't need a model_   
_I don't need a debutant_   
_Just be a tough act to follow_   
_You know, a free spirit, with a wild heart_   
_Alright, I said I just want someone real, someone true_

_-Simple things_

_Asgard, years before._

Darcy inhaled the sweet summer air from the balcony, she looked out over Asgard and admired the way the town glowed in the sunset light. She leaned against the railing and smelled one of the flowers growing on the vines covering the stone.

"All this 'look but don't touch' is getting far too boring" Loki's deep voice purred into her ear and she shivered as he felt his body cover hers as he leaned over her. She straightened and turned around, after quickly looking around him for any eavesdroppers she met his piercing eyes.

"It's exhausting" She smiled and he smirked "But incredibly necessary"

"You do look tired, are you sleeping well?" He ran his hands over her bare shoulders and her arms. The dark blue silk gown with silver details was stunning on her, and despite his bias he thought she truly was the most beautiful woman in the room. She sighed sweetly with a small smile and put her hands on his broad chest. He didn't wear his full armor tonight but he still looked impressive in a fine woven black tunic under a green coat with gold details and leather pants.

"Oh, it's nothing really. I have these strange dreams about terrible voices calling my name and whenever I wake up from them I can't go back to sleep" Loki leaned forward and put his lips against her ear.

"I'll help you sleep" His hands moved to her hips and Darcy blushed. She smacked his shoulder and he leaned back to look at her with a smirk.

"Stop it! You are absolutely hopeless" she smiled and his smirk grew. "I guess we should go back inside. I swear that despite nearly all of Asgard celebrating, someone is bound to notice that _we_ are missing" She reached up to feel her hair which still felt fine in its complicated style.

"Well you have had eyes on you all night so it wouldn't be that strange, how does it feel to be the long lost mysterious noble?" Loki teased and she glared at him.

"You know bloody well that I hate it, hopefully they can't tell-"

"You're an open book dear" Loki deadpanned and Darcy groaned.

"Gods I just want to go to bed!"

"The party has already started, but if you want I can escort you…" Darcy glared at him again and he shrugged innocently.

"No I should stay, I need to stay. My father was right, the court needs to know me if my engagement to you is going to go smoothly" She said and his heart swelled a little at hearing her talk about their engagement.

"You will be perfect, no matter what they think" She let him embrace her. When they pulled apart Darcy looked up at him, or more at his lips than his eyes. When she licked her lower lip he pulled her tighter to his chest.

"Do you think you could make us invisible for about thirty seconds?" her face was slightly flushed and her eyes were darker than before. Second after she finished the sentence his lips caught hers and her arms wrapped around his neck. She pulled back all too soon for his liking, and when she did they were both breathing hard.

"Thank you" She smiled sweetly and he laughed.

"My pleasure" He reached out and cupped her cheek. "I'll come see you tomorrow, if you would like that"

She smiled "Of course. But now we really need to go" She rose up on her toes and kissed him quickly before walking away. He waited for a long while before following.

The big throne room was acting as a ball room for the evening of the midsummer celebration and the amount of people inside was staggering. He made his way over to his mother who was watching it all from the stairs leading to the throne. She was wearing a bright red dress for the occasion and her gold details made it look like she was shining, and in a way she was. The Vanir magic was always at its strongest during summer time, and especially tonight.

She smiled as he approached her and he leaned down so she could kiss his cheek. "There you are, I have hardly seen you tonight. What have you been up to?"

"Socializing like a good boy" He said drolly but she still smiled.

"I see, with Darcy?" Loki looked at her a little too quickly.

"I have spoken to her, yes" He said and then looked out over the dance floor.

"It has been nice to see her at court more these last few weeks, and Eddard himself has been here a few times as well to just socialize, both of them were so rare before." She looked at Loki who still studied to crowd "I wonder what could have prompted such frequent presence"

Loki remained silent and Frigga turned her eyes to the dance floor where a shiny dark blue gown caught her eye. Darcy had been a popular partner tonight, much to her son's despair she imagined. The more Frigga studied to young woman the more she saw of her old friend, her daughter was so much like her in the way they moved and spoke.

"She is such a wonderful young woman" Frigga said as she watched Darcy laugh at something Volstagg told her as he spun her around.

"She is" the whisper was so low that Frigga barely caught it but she smiled nonetheless. She was interrupted by something calling in the back of her mind, but when she tried to recall it the shadow was already gone. She looked back at Darcy but the shadow didn't reappear, but something had happened in the air around the girl.

"Brother there you are!" Thor's voice interrupted both Frigga's and Loki's silent contemplations as he walked towards them. "Mother I believe father wished to speak with you" Thor said and looked over at the gathering of people surrounding their father. Frigga gracefully descended the stairs and Thor took her place next to Loki.

"Are you really not going to dance with her tonight? Nearly all eligible bachelors in Asgard are lusting after her now, step in and show some competition" Thor smacked him in the back playfully and Loki rolled his eyes.

"It has not gone unnoticed by me, _believe_ _me_. And I do intend to dance with her"

"When? After the celebration is over?" Loki glared at him.

"I can't dance with her until I have spoken to father"

"What does he have to do with this?"

"If I simply go and dance with her, he will think nothing more of her than that she is an easy court lady" He held his hand up to stop Thor from talking. "And you know that is true, especially whenever I take an interest in a woman."

"So he needs to know that she is accomplished before you dance with her" Thor stated slowly and Loki smirked.

"How perceptive of you"

"Do you really believe father to be so crass?" Loki merely turned his head and gave his brother a long stare before Thor sighed "Fair point"

They both watched as Darcy dragged a confused looking Sif unto the dance floor and they danced.

"I know! Why don't I talk to father when you dance with Darcy? It may seem less strange to bring it up in conversation then" Loki raised an eyebrow at him, that wasn't such a bad idea.

"Subtlety has never been your strong suit brother" Loki said cautiously but Thor waved his caution to the side.

"Be that as it may, I have learned a thing or two about trickery from you brother. Now go relieve Sif from dancing, she looks like a hunted deer" Before Loki had time to protest Thor disappeared down the stairs and he was left with his own mortification at the turn of events. But he still made his way around the dance floor to intercept Darcy.

…

Darcy was still laughing as Volstagg led her off the dance floor.

"It was a pleasure as always Lady Darcy" He said with a small bow and Darcy put her hand on his arm.

"The pleasure was all mine" was it just her or did the huge man blush slightly before heading towards the buffet table. Her feet were getting sorer by the minute, despite not wearing such high heels. Sif appeared next to her, dressed in a wonderful soft red dress, but true to her warrior nature she still wore a sword at her belt and her dress was filled with metal details.

"Isn't it tiresome to dance with a sword?" Darcy asked out of pure curiosity, and Sif wouldn't have answered if she had thought the question was out of spite. Darcy was too good for that.

"I haven't danced and don't intend to" the taller woman answered and Darcy frowned.

"But you are so beautiful, you should show yourself off and make the other women in the room feel bad. Me included, feel free" Sif couldn't help but smile at her.

"Oh please Darcy. You are the one who's getting the attention tonight. I have to ask, it feels like you spend a lot of time at court all of the sudden, why is that?"

Darcy was about to answer with some dismissive statement when she spotted a man making his way towards her through the crowd.

"Oh damn!" Darcy growled and quickly turned to Sif "Sif, dance with me now!"

"What?" The warrior asked with a wide eyed look and Darcy glanced at something in the crowd.

"Please, I have been avoiding dancing with that self-entitled prick Ragnar all night and I don't have another partner at the moment so he could be free to ask me and I don't have a good reason so please!"

"Uhhh-"

"I owe you!" The short healer then grabbed the taller warrior's hand and dragged her onto the dance floor. They received some odd stares when they joined the other dancers but Darcy couldn't help but find the situation highly amusing, part from the fact that she would have to run off the floor to avoid Ragnar later.

They started to dance and luckily this was not a couple dance so they could melt into the other dancers without problem.

"See this isn't so bad" Darcy said as she got back to Sif after twirling away with another dancer. Sif grabbed Darcy's hand and spun her around before walking over to another woman and doing the same before spinning back to Darcy and pressing her palm against hers. They then walked around in a circle.

"For you maybe, I have to dance like a man and I barely know how to dance like a woman!" Sif hissed.

"So? You have far more balls than most men in the room, show them how it's done" Darcy whispered and Sif shot her a shocked and amused look before they parted. After dancing a while Sif seemed to handle her steps as well as she could handle fighting and actually looked like she enjoyed herself. When they stepped off the floor Darcy made sure that they went into the opposite direction of where she had seen Ragnar last.

She was about to say something to Sif when a group of people caught her eye, the allfather was standing with the queen and Thor watching the crowd. She scanned the people around them for Loki but she did not see him, he had the skill of disappearing. She shrieked as someone pinched the sides of her stomach and she whipped around to look at whoever did it, although she had an idea.

"You silly little!" Darcy laughed as she launched at Essa who was laughing and avoiding Darcy's attempts at tickling her back. They came to a stop and hugged each other.

"I'm so glad you are here!" Darcy said happily and Essa winked at her.

"Me too, otherwise I would have missed Sif putting us all to shame with her dancing. I swear, I can't let you two out of my sight without you embarrassing yourselves" Essa sighed with a smirk and Sif smirked.

"I should do a round of the room, I'll see you later" Sif excused herself and left them. Essa looked her over as she went.

"Do you think she could be into women?" Darcy raised an eyebrow at her friend who was looking after Sif.

"Oh please Essa. You know who Sif is interested in, coincidentally the same as you are. Shame" She play slapped her friend on her arm and Essa shrugged. Making the pale green dress shift, she picked at her gold bracelets.

"You can't be too picky" Essa smiled and Darcy rolled her eyes. "Speaking of choosing one person to live the rest of their lives with…" The women just looked at each other, knowing that the walls had ears. But when Darcy smiled her wide glowing smile Essa knew exactly what that meant.

A shadow fell over Darcy and for a moment she thought it was Ragnar who had hunted her down, until she looked up and saw Loki. He bowed slightly and both Darcy and Essa curtsied.

"Are you ladies enjoying the celebration so far?" Loki asked, and although he had looked at Darcy it was Essa who answered.

"It's wonderful, very romantic atmosphere as well. Wouldn't you say so Darcy?" Essa said cheekily and Darcy slowly turned her head and looked at her friend with a wide eyed stare that clearly said ' _what the Hel are you doing?'._ Loki bit back a smile and looked down at Darcy's horrified look.

"Do tell, I'm always intrigued in your opinions" Loki said with a small smile and Darcy turned his gaze to him and tried to not be so obvious in what she was thinking, meaning that she tried not to look annoyed at him.

"Did you want something your _highness_?" She asked sweetly but with a tang of sarcasm, he smiled.

"I was going to ask Lady Essa if I could perhaps borrow you for a dance" He looked at Essa innocently and she looked like she contemplated the suggestion for a while before nodding.

"That could be arranged" She said haughtily and Darcy glared at both of them.

"You are both insufferable" She said under her breath and the both of them smirked. Essa looked as Loki escorted Darcy onto the floor, and smiled as she saw him glance down at her with a sweet look.

Loki put a hand on her waist and held her hand lightly as he started to twirl her around gently. After a sweet moment of silent gliding over the dancefloor Darcy turned her gaze up at Loki who was already looking at her with a look in his eyes that she couldn't help but smile foolishly at.

"What?" She asked, a big smile spreading across her face, at the same time as she focused her gaze on his shoulder instead. If she stared at him too much and someone saw, they would now she was in love with him (she had not inherited her father's ability to turn his face into stone).

"I'm trying to think of when I fell in love with you" She looked up at him in surprise and he smiled and pulled her closer, the impulse to hold her as close as possible drowned out the silent judgement he knew people would pass on him for it. "I can't remember when it happened, but before I knew it you were everywhere. In my thoughts, in my dreams-" He leaned down closer to her ear as he spun her around "In my fantasies" he watched in satisfaction as a sweet blush spread across her cheeks and her eyes turned darker, and he admired her sweet indignation as she looked away over his shoulder to appear like nothing scandalous had happened.

"I like to think of myself as independent, as my own master, despite my father's endless attempts to make me his subject. But he is not my master...and I am not either" Darcy looked at him wide eyed and Loki sighed with a small smile as he continued to dance. It would soon be over and he wanted her close just for a while longer before she had to be presented to his father.

"I fell in love with you when you gave me the starlily" Darcy squeezed his hand and seemed to melt into his arms even more and he enjoyed the heat of her pressed against him. "You say you don't remember when it happened for you, for me that changed everything. It was like coming under water but without needing to breathe, a whole new world all about you"

Loki exhaled heavily and Darcy smiled up at him, they didn't need to speak to know what the other one wanted to say.

...

Essa looked around for something to occupy her time when she spotted Thor and the king and queen looking at Darcy and Loki as they started to dance. She decided that some spying was in order as she made her way around the small group.

Thor made his way to his father's as was greeted by the councilors. He stood there discussing mostly the same as always, the training of soldiers and some battle anecdote until he saw Loki walk over to Darcy and Essa (who was incredibly appealing tonight), and then escorted Darcy onto the floor. Thor excused himself from the conversation to stand beside his father, who was talking to his mother.

Frigga looked up from their conversation to see Darcy dancing with Loki and she smiled.

"Oh Loki is dancing" She murmured and Odin turned his gaze as well and his eye narrowed as he took in the sight of Loki pulling Darcy closer to him after he had twirled her. _Brother for yggdrasil's sake._

"Who is the girl?" Odin asked, he recognized her of course. There was hardly a face in the palace he didn't know.

"It is Lady Darcy Nordenstierna, Eddard's daughter" Thor said and when Odin remained quiet he added "She is one of the most skilled healers in the ward"

"Eir has never mentioned her" Odin stated and Thor felt his mind stop and try to find something which would make up for that.

"She has dear" Frigga said and Odin looked at her with one raised eyebrow "Eir and I discuss the training of the healers more than you and she, she has spoken very fondly of Lady Darcy, and she is going to advance into magically directed healing soon apparently. Eddard must be very proud" Frigga said wistfully and Thor had never been as grateful to his mother as he was in that moment.

"I see" Odin mumbled and followed Loki and Darcy's twirling motions on the dance floor. "How has Lady Sigyn been enjoying her stay? I hear she is going to depart tomorrow"

"She was shrill and uncompanionable" Thor said under his breath and Odin turned to him.

"That's not what I asked"

"She seemed to enjoy it" Thor grumbled and Odin turned back to look at Loki.

"Good" Odin stated but he didn't show any enjoyment "Her family's lands command a great amount of wealth within its mountains, it would be easier for the realm if they felt appreciated enough to lend it in an eventual crisis" Odin said with a pointed look to Thor.

The dance finished and Loki led Darcy from the floor but continued in their direction. Thor's mood fell slightly when he realized that he had ultimately failed to bring Darcy into a good light with his father, and now the opportunity was gone for now.

Loki seemed to paus slightly when he saw the look on Thor's face but he still continued towards them with Darcy's hand wrapped around his arm hard.

"Mother, I was just telling Darcy that she reminds you of her mother" Loki said as he stopped in front of Frigga.

"I did not know that you were friends" Darcy said shyly and Frigga smiled.

"Tuva was a fascinating woman, and she had the most wonderful sense of humor! I could laugh for hours when I was with her. I still blame her for me delivering Thor so early, I laughed so much that my water broke" Frigga said with a smile and Darcy couldn't help but laugh at the story. She had known that her mother had spent time with the queen but that they were close was new to her.

"You do bear her likeness" Odin said and Darcy looked at him, trying to still breath normally when stared down by the man who could either destroy her or let her marry his son. "But she was also very intelligent and aware of herself." He gave her a long look "Are you her likeness there as well?"

"I have been told so" Darcy said evenly before adding with a small smile "But I'm also a lot like my father"

"In what way?" Thor asked and Darcy looked at him with a smile, it was easier to talk to Thor than the allfather who seemed to see through her.

"I'm stubborn and I prefer a straightforward interaction over nonsensical courtesies"

"Then the majority of our court should fear you immensely then" She held back a smile as she looked at Loki who handed her a crystal glass of cider, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "They wouldn't know what to do with themselves if you encourage them to be straightforward"

She opened her mouth to reply when the queen spoke softly. "Being straightforward comes with courage, it is a good thing then that the courtesies are in place then, to protect those of a shy disposition" Her eyes lingered on Loki and he discreetly raised an eyebrow before pointedly looking away from her. He had heard those words before, he had been a shy child himself once.

"True my dear" Odin said, surprising the people around him. "It takes no ounce of wit to be straightforward, to have a conversation in courtesies however and to do it well, takes intelligence. Wouldn't you agree Loki" Odin's gaze met Loki's who had seemed to turn to stone next to an increasingly crestfallen Darcy. "You are so skilled at it after all"

Darcy looked from the floor up at the king who turned his gaze from Loki to her with a narrowed eye. He had called her stupid, the king of Asgard thought she was stupid. She felt her chest constrict within her and she curtsied quickly after letting her gaze sweep the room for show. "I should get back to my friend, I fear I have abandoned her" She looked at the queen who had a small smile on her lips and she curtsied.

"If you excuse me, your majesties" She met Loki's gaze and he bowed slightly with his head and she curtsied for him too before walking away. Loki glared at his father and felt magic itch in his fingers, wanting him to lash out at the old man for being unnecessarily harsh to the woman he loved. Before he had the chance however Thor had a firm grip on his arm and was leading him away. Probably for the best, patricide wasn't appropriate for balls after all.

…

"Sygin!" Darcy whispered with a hiss in her voice when Essa had found her and dragged her out onto the balcony and told her what she had heard. "Odin wants Loki to marry Sygin?" Darcy was about to run her fingers through her hair in frustration but Essa pulled them back before she had the time, they had to get back in there soon after all and a messed up hairstyle wouldn't endear her to anyone, least of all the king, who already thought the was an idiot.

"That's not clear, don't fret over something you don't know for certain. Odin wanted her to feel appreciated, that doesn't mean marriage automatically. So breathe"

Darcy let out the air she was holding in "Why bother anymore though? Odin is not impressed by me, he thinks I'm simple"

Essa was silent for a moment before answering "Maybe not. The king has always been hard to read, but it could definitely be worse" Darcy let out a laugh.

"He thinks I'm too stupid for his son, he won't let Loki marry someone simple! Or maybe he will as long as she produces wealth and a brood of kids for the Asgardian throne, the wealth isn't as big as Sygin's but I wasn't given wide hips for nothing hopefully" She turned to look at Essa at the end of her tirade and the blond barely held off her laughter

"They are wonderful hips" both women stared at each other before breaking down into laughter.

When the laughter was done Darcy sighed "I'm sorry for being so silly. I guess I'm just afraid that we will end before we start"

"Then I suggest you finally let him take you take to bed before that happens" Essa said and waggled her eyebrows, Darcy gaped and slapped her friend's arm.

"Ouch! Or just go back and try to impress the eyepatch off the king, you are the second general's daughter and a skilled healer, it's not like you don't have the ammunition to be impressive. The night is still young"

Darcy let out a sigh "Alright, into the fray then"

* * *

_-seven months-_

Darcy sat patiently in the lab as she waited for Jane and Thor to get there. She was only half worried that another spy would come and try to steal information, like Jane had told her happened last week, when she was the only one there, but she had her taser so it would probably work out. The door opened and Jane walked in followed by Thor and Loki and Tony.

"Finally!" Darcy groaned and jumped up from her seat to bounce over to Jane's desk. "Time for you to pick the movie for tonight, I have Troy, Immortals and clash of the titans. It's a Greek night!" Darcy said as she stopped in front of Jane and Thor.

"What do you say when Uncle Tony gets you the best TV set of all time?" Tony called from his computer and Darcy twirled around.

"Thanks uncle Tonyyyy" she said with a wide smile, Tony smirked and Loki looked slightly nauseous. She turned back to Jane who was already looking down at her papers "Hey, what do you want to watch?"

"It doesn't matter for me, you can choose" Jane said dismissively and Darcy's mood fell slightly but she turned to Thor.

"How about you, big guy?" Thor looked like he was thinking about it before shrugging.

"I don't know much about movies Darcy, you are free to choose" Darcy was about to sigh loudly when Tony called at her.

"How come you only got greek myth movies when a norse god is going to watch them?" Darcy smirked.

"Because I want to know if they ever met before, like in the middle of clash of titans I would love if someone could just go 'ah fucking zeus' like they actually knew him"

"I have met Liam Neeson"

"Not as cool, almost, but not really" Darcy deadpanned and Tony exited the conversation by waving her away dismissively.

"If you want those sort of anecdotes I fear I am not the one to go to, Loki has far more of those than I" Thor said with a smile and Darcy looked over at Loki in surprised who rolled his eyes.

"Really?"

"I don't wish to talk about it" Loki said with a end of discussion tone which only made her more curious.

"Oh come on!"

"Tell her about Pan" Thor called from across the room and Loki glared at him.

"Shut up brother"

"You can't still be bitter about that, he bested you once-"

"Shut up, Thor"

"First of all, kudos on the Midgardian vocabulary and second, tell me about Pan. This has to be an awesome story!" Darcy said and suddenly she was looking down at Loki, standing in front of his chair and leaning forward. She stepped back slightly with Loki watching every movement she made.

"Confidential" Loki said after a while and walked away, being careful to step as close as possible to Darcy when he did.

"Oh come on! I'll let you pick the movie"

"Why would I do that when I won't be in attendance?" Loki asked with a sneer and before Darcy had the time to stop her mouth from saying the words she blurted:

"You can come"

Loki raised an eyebrow at her "I don't think you quite understand how my partially solitary confinement works. I bear with you people when I have to work with you"

Darcy sighed "Fine! But you really have to tell me the story!"

"Darcy!" Jane called from her desk but Darcy ignored her, it wasn't like the astrophysicist didn't ignore her plenty of other times.

Loki smirked "What do I get in return?" Loki was well aware of how both Thor and Stark watched their interaction carefully.

"I don't recommend making deals with gods of lies and mischief, Lewis" Stark said and she rolled her eyes.

"It's not like I'm going to sell my soul" Darcy told him before she looked back at Loki "Coffee, that's what you get in return"

He gave her a droll stare "That sounds incredibly dull and useless"

"Not the way I make it" Darcy smirked. "think about it" She started to walk towards the exit when Jane called her name again.

"Darcy, can I talk to you?" Darcy looked over her shoulder at the now sour looking scientist.

"Nah, I have super important shield work to do. See you at movie night" and she walked out. Loki couldn't help but feel some joy at the annoyed look on Foster's face, her selective caring for Darcy was annoying him fiercely and to see her knocked back made him feel good. She was very different from Essa, who he had actually liked, the excellent choice of companion clearly hadn't carried on to this day. Essa had been witty and mischievous and absolutely not as prudish as Jane was, the favorable aspect of Jane was that she was intelligent, and very much so.

_But it would all soon be as it should again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm basing Darcy's dress on the White dress Sarah wears in the dream ball scene in Labyrinth, just imagine it in dark blue and slightly less poofy


	13. 13

_Every night I rush to my bed_   
_With hopes that maybe I'll get a chance to see you when I close my eyes_   
_I'm going outta my head_   
_Lost in a fairytale_   
_Can you hold my hands and be my guide?_

_-Sweet dreams_

_Asgard, years before_

"How can you read right now" Loki asked with a groan and she just smiled and leaned back into him. They were resting on her bed despite it being in the middle of the day, but it being the day after the celebration not many were up to anything but sleeping.

"My head aches" Loki groaned into her hair and she laughed.

"That's because of the drinking, dear" She smirked down in her book.

"You are my healer, do something"

"I am doing something, I'm ignoring it and you should too" He squeezed her harder and she giggled and looked over her shoulder at him. They were leaning against the headboard and she was resting between his legs.

"How cruel. Put the book down and take care of me" He pouted and she smiled.

"I really should do more research though"

"Oh for gods sake! Eir has been running you all over the library doing research for her for an eternity now, don't you have enough?"

"It's best if we are thorough, this is hopefully the only chance we have at studying the chitauri so we need it to be as precise as possible"

"You don't have to stand there and work with if you don't want to, don't do it just because Eir wants you to" Loki said seriously, referring to the two chitauri bodies they had been studying since the attack.

Darcy looked back at him "I know, but I don't mind. It's not fun but it's fascinating at times" she kissed his cheek. "I like studying the differences in physiology between the realms, Midgard for example are so similar to us but their lifespan makes them unable to develop their magical-"

"Midgardians" Loki groaned and Darcy smacked his chest. He smirked and caught her chin with his hand so that he could kiss her. She pulled back after a moment with a blush on her cheeks and an indignant look in her eyes.

"You really shouldn't downgrade the midgardians so much"

Loki raised an eyebrow "Oh, and why not?" his innocent tone didn't fool her.

"Do you know the story of how my family came to be?" She asked as she looked back at him and he shook his head.

"I read it but I can't remember" _he remembered every word,_ he had read her family history before she became his healer.

"It is said that the north star fell in love with a Midgardian queen and brought her to Asgard to have their children. If a star can fall in love with a Midgardian, then you can certainly find their admirable traits" She said and she met his skeptical stare. "and besides, if my story is true then you have fallen in love with a Midgardian descendant, so they can't be that bad"

"Sure" He said drolly and she laughed and after a moment of silence she returned to her book. She managed to read a few more lines until her book flew out of her hands and landed on the floor, she glared back at Loki but before she could say anything he kissed her. She shivered pleasantly as his fingers went from her throat down to the tops of her breasts. When she felt a pull at the strings at the front of her dress she pulled back to give him and admonishing look as well as cover the hand that was opening her dress with her own hand.

" _Loki_ " she said in a tone that he knew all too well by now, the ' _no too sexual acts before the wedding_ ' tone.

"I know" He whispered back and kissed her again and she kissed him back, her heart beat picked up again when he continued to pull at the strings and she looked back at him.

"Loki we can't-"

He shushed her gently and kissed her. "Just relax, I'll stop when you want me to stop…but just let me try something" She gave him a hesitant look before slowly nodding and he smiled. "Good, kiss me" she leaned into him and enjoyed the rush that came from him completely untying the top of her dress, she hadn't bound her breasts, since the party had left her so tired she didn't feel like forcing herself into a corset or bind them. So they were completely exposed and she put one of her arms over them to cover herself.

"Don't do that" he whispered and took her hand that was covering her breast. "You are so beautiful, let me see you" He continued to kiss her neck and cheek and then turned her head so she looked at him, and he smiled. She dropped her arm after he did, he may be the god of mischief and lies but there was nothing in his gaze that made her think he would in any way hurt her. Even when she dropped her arm he didn't look anywhere but her eyes, her wide deep blue eyes. He held her gaze as he reached down and ran his hand over one of her breasts and her breathing hitched slightly and he smiled again.

After only touching her carefully for a while he then squeezed her and her head fell back against his shoulder with a moan and her hand flew up to cover his. He squeezed both of her breasts and her other hand went to cover his. He looked down from kissing her neck and the sight and feel of her breasts and her small hands begging his to squeeze again was near enough to make him come, but she had probably not noticed how hard he was against her back.

He tweaked her nipples and her back arched and she cried out and looked at him, her face both flushed from being aroused and slightly embarrassed and her sweet lips open and panting.

"I love you" He said with a mischievous smile and Darcy smiled an embarrassed smile.

"I love you too" she kept her gaze locked to his as he reached down her open bodice to pull at her skirt. Her eyes widened as he yanked up her skirt and petticoat completely up to her waist, leaving her legs bare and…

She grabbed the hand that was making its way down between her legs.

"Loki no"

"This won't change anything Darcy" Loki breathed and she shivered at the dark dreamy look in his eyes "You will not lose your virtue from what I'm about to do"

She hesitated for a moment and Loki bumped her cheek with his nose "I can stop" after a moment Darcy let go of his hand and he slowly slid it down between her legs and felt Darcy's heartbeat stop when he touched her.

He was gentle at first, looking for what she liked and she moaned in surprise when he did and he couldn't help but smirk as he pressed down on her clit again.

"Loki!" her back arched and he took the opportunity to kiss her throat again as he pumped her clit and breast. Darcy felt the pressure that was growing inside of her and she felt a both hopeless and amazing when it grew. One of Loki's fingers slid into her carefully and she gasped at the new sensation. "It's too much" She got out before twitching a little when his fingers found her nipple and squeezed her breast.

"Oh it will get better" Loki growled against her ear and the shivers that went down her spine must have done it for her, she felt a wave of hot white pleasure sear through her and fell back against Loki gasping for air.

"Oh my god!" She breathed and Loki kissed her cheek. His arms wrapping around her torso and bringing her even closer to him.

"Yes I am"

...

Loki was breathing hard when he woke up from the dream and he pulled a shaky hand through his hair to calm himself, the dream had left him anxious in more than one way, one manifesting itself through the wood he was sporting embarrassingly and the other through a painful longing for the past.

His chest hurt and his eyes burned but he refused to let any sign of discomfort show to the multiple cameras he had in his apartment (prison). Good things came to those who waited, and so would revenge.

* * *

_-8 months-_

Darcy had a bad feeling about this meeting with Fury, the fact that she had been called to it made her feel even more anxious since she had a very low clearance (except when it came to interrogating psychotic gods and hacking files for shield's best super spy, she was apparently cleared for that but not cleared enough to even have her own parking space at base). Darcy was the first person in the conference room, the same room that she had had her first avengers meeting in. she walked over to the big windows and looked out over New York. The snow was thick on the top of the buildings but turned to a grey slush on the streets among all the cars. The door opened and Darcy looked back to see Maria Hill enter followed by the rest of the avengers except Bruce who was at the science of 'whatever' conference with Jane.

Darcy sat down next to Natasha and at the end of table and the red head gave her a small smile before turning her face to stone and started to observe possibly every little detail in the room. The spy had come back from her secret mission two weeks ago and as soon as she had they started training together again, this time more fighting technique than before and Darcy often turned dizzy from trying to remember all the moves and hits sometimes, the agent clearly wanted Darcy to learn how to fight and quickly it seemed.

Natasha had not been happy when she had found out (how she had found out was a mystery to Darcy) that despite the rules that had been put in place for Loki not to engage with Darcy it had still managed to happen and she was not happy with her hacker for allowing it to. Needless to say Darcy had decided to avoid the lab more than she used to, so she hardly saw Jane anymore, when the scientist wasn't locked in her lab she was with Thor playing with his hammer.

Fury walked into the room and Darcy's thoughts immediately silenced, which was probably the effect Fury wanted himself to have whenever he walked into a room.

"Let's make this quick without beating around the bush because we do not have that sort of time" he stated as he stood at the top of the table with his back to the windows. "The intruder in the lab" Fury started and Darcy saw Steve straighten in curiosity, he had been there to catch the guy after all, or Loki had caught him.

"We have reason to believe he is working for a large criminal organization due to the bits we have managed to wrangle out of him during interrogations and because of the technique he used that was traced back to other similar…incidents."

"What organization?" Steve asked and Fury seemed to pause a minute before answering the question.

"It has no name, for now" Darcy frowned and she could see Steve do the same just before he opened his mouth to question the director more, but Fury beat him to it.

"Our first concern is that Loki has been seen by this spy and that if he managed to release his intel back to his group they could try to come for Loki, for whatever agenda they might have…but that is no longer an issue" Hill said and her voice had a dark tone towards the end that made Darcy, and Steve apparently react.

"What do you mean by that?" Steve said suspiciously "Are you saying you killed him?"

Hill sighed "The suspect was found dead in his cell yesterday, cause of death was hydrogen cyanide, in a back tooth"

The room turned even more silenced at that until Clint "Another sign pointing towards a very organized organization"

"And devoted followers" Natasha added and Darcy just sat wide eyed next to her.

"We are confident that he didn't manage to get out any intel, if his mission was to steal research information then he failed, and we don't believe he managed to tell anyone about Loki either" Fury made a pause "But he did manage to infiltrate Avengers tower convincingly enough until he encountered Loki-"

"So there could be more" Tony interrupted and Fury nodded "They could know that he is there despite the other guy being dead"

"That is a reasonable assumption" Fury said with a glance at Thor who was seated next to Steve. The thunder god's expression suitably looked like thunder.

"Then I will take my brother home if you cannot keep him safe" Thor stated and looked ready to get up and leave when Fury interjected.

"You will not" Thor raised an unamused eyebrow at the director.

"You cannot order me around, I am the crown prince of Asgard"

"Who made a deal with shield to allow your brother to serve a punishment on earth as penance for the damage he did, the _severe_ damage he did that he is paying off through helping _your_ Doctor Foster and helping Stark with technology that will protect earth from more like _him_ " Fury took a breath "Until he does, no matter his current safety concern, he will stay here. And so will you so you can hear the measures we will take to _protect_ him"

It was amazing what Fury could do without really raising his voice. Thor glowered at him for a while before seeming to relax more in his chair and then Fury seemed to relax too.

"Loki is going to get fully functioning cuffs now, they will close off his magic completely this time, due to the concern it raised when he attacked the spy"

"Which he did very well by the way" Tony interjected and Thor smiled widely at the billionaire "But if they come for him how will he defend himself?"

"He won't, we will" Fury stated and then looked at Darcy. "We all know of the reservations you have towards Loki, but at this time you too need to be prepared to defend him as his extra security should the need arise. We cannot afford more people knowing of his presence in the Tower. If that should leak to the press it would be a shit show"

Darcy just gaped and didn't really get out any real words so Fury skipped ahead "You will all be given keys to the cuffs, but do not remove them unless it is life threateningly necessary. The protocol for a case of attack is to grab Loki, get him to Thor and they go to Asgard. All avengers first priority is however to neutralize the threat" he paused briefly "Questions?"

It was quiet for a long time until Darcy's small voice interrupted the silence "I'm not an avenger"

"No you are not Miss Lewis, it is then better if you get Loki to Thor" Fury stated, but not as hard as before.

"I don't think me doing that is such a good idea"

Hill frowned slightly "why not?"

"Because I remember when it was basically forbidden for me to be around him if he decided to, oh I don't know what the theory was but abduct me, possess me, use me to steal the scepter or whatever? Why is it okay for me to do this now?"

There was a brief pause before Fury spoke in a low tone "It has been some time since then, and we have reason to believe that should there be an attack on Loki and you get caught in the crossfire, he will keep you safe even without his magic. Which gives you security and you can therefore get him to Thor"

Darcy didn't say anything for a while and the people around the table shot her both worried and expectant looks.

"Darcy" Darcy turned her wide eyes to Natasha who tried to appear comforting but didn't really know how to best comfort the other girl in this situation. "You are definitely strong enough for this-"

"Yeah screw that" nearly everyone around the table looked surprised at the words that Darcy spit out, except Fury who somehow saw this coming. "That is not the problem here. Why would you assume that he would be so keen on keeping me safe? The puny human that he tried to manipulate? He could easily just strangle me with the cuffs and run away, since we made clear that I'm not good enough at fighting, which I am aware of"

While Darcy ranted Natasha glanced across the table at Thor who despite trying to stay expressionless, looked down at the table with sad eyes. But as quickly as it had come it was gone from him and he looked up to watch Darcy but he met Natasha's gaze on the way and was clearly annoyed by her scrutiny.

"Whatever reasons he have are irrelevant at the moment if he will keep you safe" Natasha said and Darcy glared at her.

"They are not! And I know you don't believe that, so spit it out. Why do you think he will keep _me_ safe, when we have been holding him captive for eight months?"

Everyone was quiet for a while until Tony sighed. "You aren't stupid Darcy, what do you think?"

Darcy snorted out a laugh "Well my first speculation was that I look like someone he knew from Asgard and confused me with her. Or maybe!" She laughed "Let's be more outrageous, maybe I'm some lost love's reincarnation, or maybe that's what he wants me to think so he can use me? You know the whole god of mischief and _lies_ , doesn't really inspire trust" she threw her hands out in an 'I surrender' gesture. "I don't fucking know but tell me what you think"

Fury cleared his throat "Are you done miss Lewis?"

Darcy slumped back in her chair, clearly done with all of them "Yeah"

"Given Loki's interest in you from the start, and his continued interest together with observations made when you are around. We have reasons to believe he cares for you. More than anyone else around" Darcy gaped at that and threw a look at Thor who was looking everywhere but her, that must have really hurt him, Darcy thought sadly and then looked back at Fury.

"We plan to use that devotion in any way we can. That is why you are the one who _will_ ensure that he gets to Asgard, because he will with most certainty, not strangle you with his cuffs to get away. _Understood_?"

Darcy met the director's hard look with an equally hard one of her own. " _Understood_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point Darcy is both curious and angry over her treatment when it comes to Loki. She feels herself being manipulated and she knows information is being kept from her by her friends. So she is ready for some serious action in order to get to the bottom of how she fits into the puzzle of Loki, as well as the greater plan.


	14. 14

_Feel it comin' in the air_   
_Hear the screams from everywhere_   
_I'm addicted to the thrill_   
_It's a dangerous love affair_

_-run this town_

- _9 months-_

Darcy's heels clicked against the marble floor of the lobby in Avengers tower as she ran towards the elevator, her shopping bag was flying behind her and when she finally got into the elevator she was red in the face from running around town and was breathing hard. Ripping the New Year's Eve party dress on New Year's Eve was not something she would recommend, nor was running around town like a crazy person trying to find a new one. The elevator stopped already on the second floor and she cursed.

"Fucking really" She grumbled before the doors slid open and a security looking guard stepped on. He looked surprised to see someone else in the elevator and immediately shut off the phone he was talking in. she was about to say she didn't mind him being on the phone when she received something that felt like a death glare from the guard before he pressed the button and stood as far away from her as possible. She glanced at him and saw a long scar at the side of his throat, but he continued to stare dead head with a pissed off look on his face.

_Well, okay then_. She didn't mind, she was busy mentally planning what she was supposed to do when she got off the elevator. Run to her apartment, put make up on, put the dress on, then run up to Tony's place for some pre party chilling. She looked down at her watch, the mickey mouse arms showed that she had a total of twenty minutes to do all of that which made her sigh before looking up at the elevator floor number, _only at the twelfth floor, come on_!

The elevator stopped and the grumpy guard walked off after throwing her a side eye, and the air around her felt more pleasant after he had left. What was his problem? The ride to the twentieth floor was done quickly since there was no other staff around that was getting on, so she ran out and jogged to her apartment.

27 minutes later Darcy stepped out of her apartment party ready. Her new dress looked even better on now than it had in the store. The dark blue halter dress was tight and went down to just over her knees, despite covering most of her the tight fit of the dress showed off her curves perfectly and the dark fabric contrasted her pale skin and dark hair, which she had loose and slightly teased, perfect. She locked the door behind her and put the keys in her black clutch and walked over to the elevators.

On the way to the elevator she heard several footsteps coming around a corner and turned her head to look for who it was. Piercing green eyes met hers when Loki and five guards, among them was the grumpy guy from the elevator, rounded the corner and headed for the elevators as well. When they got closer Darcy saw how Loki's gaze slid over her and how a small smirk formed on his lips before meeting her gaze.

"Well, well Miss Lewis. Heading to the party I assume?" Loki said and leaned against the wall next to the elevator much to the grudge of the guard he covered in the process.

"I am, what are you up to?" She glanced down at the heavy looking new cuffs he had, they glowed in a creepy grey color when he moved them. He saw where she was looking and lifted his arms in front of him.

"They are rather tedious looking, are they not?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and Darcy scoffed.

"Yeah, you're more of a gold kind of guy aren't you?" He met her smirk with one of his own.

"Unfortunately."

There was silence after that until the elevator door opened and Darcy backed away as the guards moved forward until Loki stopped them short.

"Have you no manners? She got here first, and besides its always ladies first" He glared at the incompetent lot of black dressed guards before turning to a wide eyed Darcy and nodding for her to go first.

Darcy stepped into the elevator and pressed the combination to access Tony's floors, she looked back at Loki.

"So what are you doing tonight?"

Loki raised an eyebrow at her small talk "I have read all the books twice now, so I am off to work"

"You don't just want to stay and relax?" Loki gave her a strange look and she just realized how odd the question was.

"There is no rest for me" Loki said and the doors started to close. They looked at each other until the doors closed and when they did Darcy leaned back against the wall of the elevator and let go of a breath she had been holding.

Tony, Pepper, Jane, Thor, Bruce and Steve were all on time and she quickly joined them in crashing down on all the New Year's resolutions Tony would make. When Tony ran off with Thor to adjust the already illegal fireworks with some of Thor's lightening Darcy decided that she need much more booze to handle that shit.

The perfect Pepper followed her to the bar to help her find something to drink and while she whipped something up for her Darcy stood there mesmerized by the other woman. Pepper met her gaze and raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"What?"

"You handle a lot of shit, a multimillion dollar enterprise, a self centered jerkish scientist...and us loons invading your home and your self centered jerkish boyfriend. I'm impressed by you is all, if I had half of your responsibility I would have flipped my lid five times a day"

Pepper laughed and handed her a sparkly pink drink that tasted as pretty as it looked "And you make kick ass drinks, why hasn't he proposed to you yet? I'll kick him" Darcy mumbled and Pepper shook her head with a smile.

"Kick him as much as you please Darcy. I'm happy that he has someone around with some sense, how is the hacking for Shield going?" She paused "Or am I not supposed to know about that? Tony throws out top secret information like it's nothing so Im not sure"

"Oh it's fine, I like it well enough" She smiled and Pepper frowned.

"But it's not the occupation you wanted when you got out and got your political science diploma"

"Not really"

"You can always try a position in my office, plenty of political talk going around there, or I can check with a friend in the white house?" Darcy stared wide eyed at her.

"Wow, only you can say that and make it sound like everyone has a friend in the white house. I'll think about it!"

"What made you want to study political science?"

"Honestly it was that or studying to become a doctor, I liked both the options...not sure why I chose political science, it just felt right at the time"

"You wanted to be a doctor?"

"Yeah, I like to think I would have been good at it, I wanted to help people" She rolled her eyes "Which is so far off the job description here, I hacked into a senators files the other day to steal nudes with prostitutes in order for it to be used as blackmail. But at least I helped Natasha, that's something"

Pepper didn't have time to respond, something vibrated on the top of the bar. Darcy picked up the small pad and looked at the code and warning signal that came up, she frowned and looked back at Pepper.

"Do you know what this means?" Darcy handed the pad to Pepper who as soon as she looked at the code turned white, matching her designer dress.

"Tony!" She shrieked and Tony called back from somewhere in the apartment. "We need to shut down the tower!" Steve walked over.

"What's wrong?"

Tony and Thor came running and Bruce and Jane walked over to them as well. Pepper showed the pad at Tony who's expression turned hard.

"JARVIS!"

" _Yes sir_ "

"Shut down access to the tower, open safe path and send down an extra suit, let shield know that we are under attack"

" _Of course sir_ "

"Tony what's going on?" Steve asked and Tony turned to him.

"Seems like the attack Fury was scared might happen is probably happening right now, we gotta move-" a sudden shockwave went through the penthouse and the windows shattered, sending everyone except Steve and Thor to the ground.

Steve started to holler out orders "Pepper, Jane you need to go now! See if you can contact Natasha or Hill on the way out. Thor left flank! Stark suit up and take out the helicopter they have outside. Bruce cover Darcy!"

Darcy looked up at him in surprise and he looked back at her with what she could only imagine was the same determination and security that made troops in the second world war trust him so much.

"Darcy, do you know where Loki is?" She only nodded back when she finally regained some awareness of what was happening. Pepper had grabbed Jane and were on the way out of the tower through some secret pathway Tony designed for her, Tony was in his suit shooting at a helicopter, Thor was knocking out black dressed special ops looking guys trying to get into the tower and Bruce was standing over her waiting for her to move. And all of this was happening with the soundtrack of guns popping.

"Time to move then" Steve stated before turning and running towards whoever was shooting at them, hiding behind his shield as he ran to knock them out. Brue helped her up when her numb legs didn't want to move and ran with her to the elevator. Just before getting to the elevator Darcy looked back over her shoulder and saw a black dressed guy aiming with his gun at them.

"Bruce!" Bruce turned his head to look back at her when they ran and then saw who she was looking at, just as the gun went off Bruce stopped and just when the bullet was supposed to hit Darcy's shoulder it hit Bruce in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

The shriek that came from Darcy hardly sounded human and she dropped down to her knees next to Bruce who had started to whine strangely.

"Bruce!" Darcy called and his eyes shot wide open and looked up at the tear filled expression on Darcy's face. Darcy just stared as the previously kind brown eyes shot open with a glowing green color instead.

"Darcy run" Bruce choked out and she saw how the skin of his neck turned green and felt his pulse picked up wildly. Another bang went off and Bruce, or rather the hulk bellowed and turned towards the attacker. Darcy crawled away from Bruce before he sprang up in his hulk form and went after the shooter. She pressed the elevator button furiously and when it opened she threw herself into it, still on the floor.

The doors seemed to close slowly on purpose just to fuck with her, but when they did she pressed the button that would take her to the lab floor. Something on the other side of the elevator doors slammed against them hard and the bang made Darcy scream in fright before she covered her mouth with her hand. The elevator started to move and she got up on her shaky legs, her mind felt numb. What would she do if they had already taken Loki? How would she top them from doing it? She pulled up her clutch and started to dig through for the gloves Natasha had given her.

Darcy put on the 'taser gloves' as she had named them and turned the wrist bands as Natasha had shown her, the wrist bands glowed blue when they were activated and Darcy let out a shaky breath when they started to glow. At least now she had something…but they had guns. This is exactly why America needed fucking gun control.

* * *

Loki's eyes were fixed on the screen describing the amount of energy the midgardian bound bifrost would need, but his eyes were not seeing the numbers, he knew it was an hopeless attempt and didn't care much if it failed, he rather hoped it did. His attention was still on Darcy. The blue dress she had worn had highlighted her body in the most exquisite way, and he couldn't get it out of his head. Her figure had been hidden by fabric, but he could see beyond that, he could see the mole on the side of her left breast and the little scar on her right thigh from where she fell on the ocean rocks by her childhood home. And the rest of her smooth skin laid out beneath him.

An echo of an explosion alerted him to the outside world and as the building started to shake his guards sprang into motion and started to call into their radios...no reply. Something was wrong, and he instantly turned his attention to the other men in the room to try to figure out a way to take advantage of it.

The leader of the team looked at the other's before calling out orders "Comm's down, moving the asset to-" the door to the lab opened and another team filed in lead by a particularly nasty looking man with a scar at the side of his neck.

"I thought the comm was down? What's the situation?" The team leader asked and the newcomers and Loki met the new man's gaze for just a second, but that told him all he needed to know.

The newcomer smiled "The situation is being handled, we're taking over from here" The team leader frowned, he hadn't realized what Loki had, that his security team was going to die and that he was going to be abducted. Or at least they would try.

* * *

The doors opened and Darcy poked her head out before hurrying towards the lab, the lab doors were open and there was clearly people shouting inside. Darcy desperately hoped that it was Loki's guards shouting at the intruders to stay on their knees because they were captive…but she had a bad feeling when the first thing she saw were bodies lying on the floor.

She stared towards where the choking sounds came from and gasped when she saw Loki, choking the guard from the elevator with his cuffs. Loki met her eyes from over the guy's shoulder and then made a pulling motion that resulted in a sickening crack when the guard's neck broke.

Loki walked over to her quickly and she backed away. "You k-killed him" She stuttered and Loki looked grim. "He was-"

"He was with them" Loki said with a nod towards the masked men lying among the other guards, one of whom was starting to come to. But they didn't have time to stay for him to go with them. Darcy turned off her gloves and grabbed Loki's arm and started to run from the lab.

"Where are we going?" Loki asked as they ran but Darcy didn't answer, her adrenaline was too high for her to do anything but focus at the task she was supposed to handle. "Darcy"

They stopped in front of the elevator and Darcy murdered the buttons with her pushing. "Answer me!" She glared back at him.

"I'm helping you, shut up!"

"How are you helping me? Where are we going?"

"To Thor!"

"Why?" the silver doors slid open and Darcy was about to step into it when Loki pulled her back. two black masked men were standing in the elevator and both pointed her guns at her, they didn't need her alive after all. Loki crashed into one of them which made the other one lose balance and Darcy took the opportunity to turn on her gloves before she grabbed the man around his wrist and throat. He went down quickly and when she looked at the other guy Loki had already thrown him out of the elevator, he looked unconscious. He grabbed the other one and threw him out as well then Darcy pressed the code up to Tony's.

She slowly started to count to ten when she started to hyperventilate. "The others are fighting I assume" She looked at Loki who was watching her with something that looked like concern. "If they hadn't been defending themselves against the attackers someone else would have come for me" Darcy nodded.

"They are trying to fight them off, shield is on the way too"

"Where are we going?"

"To your brother"

"Why?"

"You aren't safe here, it is you they are after so we need to move you" Loki was quiet for a moment before speaking again, this time with anticipation.

"I'm going back to Asgard" She looked up at him as the doors opened.

"For now"

"Take off my cuffs" Darcy frowned at his request.

"Absolutely not"

"I can't protect you if I can't use my magic, woman" Loki growled and Darcy glared up at him and took a step closer to him.

"Don't call me _woman_ , and don't think I need _your_ protection"

The doors opened to the sound of a grenade going off in front of it and before Darcy had time to react she was pressed against the wall with Loki pressing against her from the other side so that none of the mainly glass shrapnel hit her. He let out a dark growl as the glass shreds embedded themselves into his back. He looked down at Darcy, to make sure she wasn't hit by any of it but froze when their noses nearly touched. Loki took a step back and she felt the loss of his body against hers more than she should have, but she didn't have time to think about that right now.

He gave her a pointed look "Not that you needed my protection right? Ladies first" _Asshole._ She glared at him as he gestured for her to step out of the elevator, she grabbed his arm and dragged him with her.

Thor brought down another round of lighting on the other helicopters that appeared only after the first one had been taken down, he remembered hearing tales about a monster that did the same. Cutting of one head only brought life to two more. His focus was split, he was worried about Jane but he trusted Stark enough to ensure that she had a safe way out. And he also worried about Darcy getting to Loki without any of them being harmed.

One of the helicopters released another missile into the tower and Thor flinched in advance before hearing the explosion, but instead he heard the hulk bellow and saw the missile thrown back at the helicopter which then blew up. He looked back at Banner and laughed.

"Nice work" The hulk merely growled and went after the intruders already in the building.

"Thor!" He looked over at Steve who was coming onto the balcony and then followed his friend's gesture at something in the tower. Among the rubble he saw Darcy running with Loki, and relief flooded over him.

He sent out another wave of lighting at the three remaining choppers that made them fall and then ran back to his brother and Darcy. Meeting the captain on the way.

"Are you sure you don't require my assistance further?" Thor called and after Steve head butted one of the intruders he had disarmed he looked up at the god to answer him.

"Natasha is in the building, shield is five minutes out. Go!" Thor nodded at his comrade and then ran towards Loki and Darcy. The sound of another chopper in the background made him run faster before they enemy could spot his brother.

"Brother you don't know ow relieved I am to see you, Darcy thank you" Thor said then reached out and grabbed Loki's arm before looking up to summon Heimdall.

Darcy backed away, after all her part was done. She warily looked around at the thrashed tower and at the incoming chopper and felt the adrenaline rush through her. But Steve had said something about shield being here soon, so she would be fine right? Loki stood perfectly still and watched Darcy as her worried gaze slid over the room, taking in her options, and he knew they weren't good.

Just as Thor called out Heimdall's name she met Loki's eyes. The soft blue eyes only steeled his determination further, so when the glowing light started to shine down on them Loki reached out and grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

Seconds later they were gone and everyone had been too busy fighting to realize that more people had disappeared than originally intended.

* * *

_Asgard, years before_

Frigga found her youngest son on the practice yard, throwing knifes at a hay stuffed doll. Despite not having the same fascination and lust for battle with different weapons like his brother, Loki was still very skilled at it, among the physical weapons knives were his specialty. Each knife either hit the heart, the head or in the case of this doll the eyes… coincidentally the left eye which happened to be the eye her husband had left… _coincidence._

As she walked down the stairs leading down to the yard she observed the men watching her son's technique. Her son wasn't a teacher, he was too impatient, but he would not be in the way of someone's independent teaching, so he let himself be watched without snapping at the ones who did. Two younger boys took place at the dolls next to him, they watched him carefully for a moment before trying themselves. One of the boys hit the stone wall behind the dolls and blushed furiously as he walked to get it. The other boy waited longer and after carefully studying his aim threw the knife. It planted itself in the throat of the doll and he laughed in surprise and carefully glanced at Loki.

Loki was holding the knife to his cheek as he aimed but when he noticed the boy looking at him he looked back at him. He glanced at the doll and then back at the boy, a brown haired lanky boy that probably just joined the army, judging from his young looks.

"Nice shot" Loki said and the boy's eyes widened and he bowed, a huge smile on his face. Frigga smiled at her son's gesture, it would motivate the boy till he became a master at daggers.

"Thank you, your majesty!" He bowed again and Loki turned back to throw his own knife which this time landed in the throat as well.

"Loki!" Frigga called out gently and Loki looked up at the steps to see his mother waiting for him, her soft green dress billowing slightly as it caught in the wind. Loki walked over to the doll and pulled out all of the knives, then walked back to the shed where they kept them stored. Whilst in the shed magically switched his green simple tunic to a more elaborate one and also added his black coat with gold details, they would have both been in the way while training. He walked out of the shed and quickly walked up the steps to his mother, who had studied the bright purple flowers growing from a tree that had somehow grown through the bricks.

When he stopped next to her she smiled but still looked at the flowers. "I used to make you and your brother flower crowns out of these flowers, the stems are very easy to tie together. I can show you how if you'd like?" She asked and Loki gave her a blank stare.

"I am far too old for flower crowns, mother" She laughed sweetly and took his arm and led him away in the direction of the garden next to the training yard.

"Yes, I know, believe me" She sighed "the castle stopped sounding of childish laughter and patting of small feet long ago. But I heard that if given the chance you would remedy that, and I feel like Darcy is the kind of woman who would love to make her children flower crowns…" Loki came to a sudden stop and Frigga looked up at his frozen handsome face.

"If given the chance…" He said, the words coming more quiet than intended. Frigga took his arm and pulled him with her to a marble bench among perfectly cut bushes and sat down.

"Your father and I are giving you that chance, Loki" she heard him let out a shuddering breath and his held back smile made her nearly cry from happiness. She took his hands in hers. "We do have some wishes about how your engagement is going to be handled" His eyes snapped up to hers and she could see his sudden apprehension and impending anger, before he had the time to say anything she added "Nothing too severe, but although important"

Loki let her talk "We will announce your engagement to the court when Darcy has spent more time with the other nobles, and after you have asked her father for his permission, " She gave him a chiding look "Apparently he wasn't aware that you had proposed to Darcy"

Loki's eyes widened "Fuck I forgot!" He gasped and then quickly looked at his mother "Pardon the language but…oh Yggdrasil I forgot" He mumbled in real horror and Frigga tried to hold back a smirk.

"Loki, listen to me" Loki looked back at her "We insist on a long engagement, the wedding will take some time to plan after all. But the most important part is this…" She made sure to look him deep in his eyes so he would understand how sincere she was "Take the long engagement to make sure that Darcy is the one. That she will love you unconditionally, no matter what happens. And that you love her just as much. That is all I want for you, someone you can love and loves you despite…despite what the realms throw at you both" She cupped his cheeks gently and smiled a teary smile. "Can you do that for me?"

Loki leaned forward and kissed her forehead and she let out a soft breath and hugged his broad frame. Her arms barely fit around him now, so unlike when she could carry him in her arms and keep him from the world.

"Of course I will, mother" Loki murmured against the top of her head and she smiled and pulled back to look up at him.

"And that you won't make me wait too long for grandchildren, I am not getting any younger until Idun procures apples with that function" she half joked and Loki smiled.

"Thank you mother" She felt her heart melt at his wide smile and he quickly placed a kiss on her forehead before he ran away, no doubt to find Darcy and tell her the news. She watched him disappear into the palace and sighed, her heart torn in two. Her husband had eventually agreed with her to consent to the marriage, they both knew what the dangers of a furious Loki could be. And Darcy was a good match, her status was acceptable although she needed to make herself more adjusted to court life and build more connections. Her character had no apparent faults, except maybe impulsivity, but Frigga found that charming. And she was very beautiful, even if it wasn't in a classic way. The most important thing was that she made him happy, and that they loved each other.

Frigga stood and brushed out the wrinkles in her dress before making her way into the palace. What had to be certain was that she loved him enough that when they told them Loki's origin, she would keep loving him. It would be hard for Loki, they knew that, and it was their fault for not thinking about this option before. But he needed to be told, otherwise the birth of a jotun baby from two supposed Asgardians, two _royal_ Asgardians, would cause too much chaos to imagine.

Frigga would be damned to let anything harm her sons, and she was certainly not going to let them harm themselves if she could prevent it. But this could prove to be one of the greatest challenges she would face in this life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Darcy is in asgard! How will this go? The closer the Asgardian couple gets the closer we come to the truth about Darcy's fate.   
> Hope you like it, please tell me what you think and review. I love that some of you have theories about what happened to Darcy, that was exactly what I wanted when I started this story, to keep you all guessing and keeping you all intrested in the story. Love you all, stay safe!


	15. 15

_Some people lie but they're looking for magic_   
_Others are quietly going insane_   
_I feel alive when I'm close to the madness_   
_No easy love could ever make me feel the same_

_I know I could lie but I won't lie to you_   
_Wherever I go you're the ghost in the room_   
_I don't even try looking for something new_   
_Cause' wherever I go I'll be looking for you_

_-Wherever I Go_

 

The seemingly endless spinning of colors and sounds came to a sudden crash and Darcy would have broken her nose against the floor in her landing unless Loki had been holding her firmly pressed against him with his chains. Darcy could hear voices around her but was too dizzy and nauseous to hear them clearly. The standing position made her even more nauseous so she pushed herself away from Loki, who she could feel reach for her.

When Thor held him back from Darcy Loki threw him an angry look which Thor ignored and pushed him back further from her before walking to Darcy and sinking down to his knees next to the woman who was in a similar position.

"Darcy, how are you feeling? Bifrost traveling doesn't agree with everyone, I should imagine it's even worse for midgardians" he put a comforting huge hand on her back and she leaned her head up and took a deep breath and opened her eyes, when the room stopped spinning she spoke.

"Why is everything gold?" Thor laughed quietly and helped her up. When Darcy spun around to look back at the spacey looking hole they had come from she spied something even more golden and impressive.

"Oh my god! He's even bigger than you are!" Darcy gasped and Heimdall looked down at her with a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Darcy kept looking at the gatekeeper with an astonished expression and Loki tried to ignore the way his blood boiled in what could only be jealousy.

Darcy took a step closer and squinted, her contact lenses were all messed up from the trip through space and all. "Your eyes are so pretty, so cool" Thor held back a laugh, Heimdall, the guard of the bifrost, watcher of worlds, the gatekeeper of Asgard had surely never been called pretty before in his long, long life.

Darcy then seemed to realize something very crucial to her situation…that she wasn't on earth. "I'm in Asgard" She stated dumbly and the huge gold black guy nodded.

"You are" his voice was deep and when the baritone soundwaves went through her she seemed to finally wake up and snapped around to turn around to Loki, the action made her head spin even more.

"Why did you do that! I wasn't supposed to go, that wasn't the plan!" Darcy said angrily and stepped forward, which made the room spin even more.

Loki stepped forward, seeing how she was turning increasingly disoriented so that he could catch her easier."I told you once that I would answer all your questions if you came with me to Asgard." He gestured with his arms as much as the shackles allowed him. "Now you can finally have your answers, or has your curiosity failed you so badly?" Loki hissed and Darcy's face flared up in surprising anger.

"You asked me why I surrendered, and why you were important-" He continued but a burst of anger from Darcy silenced him

"Lies! I won't be manipulated by you, that was a game, everything is a game for you and I won't play it! There's no answers to be had for me because you're just lying!" She snarled. When the air went out of her she felt her knees turn to jelly. She felt someone grip her elbows, it was probably Loki but she was to dizzy to be angry at him right now.

"I think I'm gonna-" Her head lulled back and Loki took one long step forward so he could catch her without any trouble. He looked at Heimdall who's golden burning eyes seemed to see straight through his broken soul, and then he looked at Thor.

"release me from the cuffs" His voice was even steel despite his body vibrating with the knowledge that she was finally home again, that everything would soon be normal again and that he would have her back as she used to be. _That she would love him_ …

"I will not, I'll carry her-"

"You will not touch her!" Loki snarled and felt his body curl over hers to keep his brother from even looking at her. The shackles would barely let him spread his arms a half arms wide but he still managed to keep her securely in his arms. Her head leaned against his neck and her back rested against his left arm while her legs went over his right arm. He stood tall with her in his arms and stared at Thor defiantly and the older god sighed and turned to Heimdall.

"Please let father and mother know we are here, and that we will meet them in the throne room"

"Do you require assistance?" The golden god asked and glanced at the god of mischief standing with the young woman in his arms. The young prince had turned his gaze from Thor to look down on Darcy, who the gatekeeper had personally tried to keep safe for many years, the wayward prince looked down on the woman with so much affection Heimdall felt his own heart respond to it.

"No, my brother and I have matters to discuss, privately" Thor stated and then turned to his brother who was glancing at him over Darcy's shoulder. "Let's go Loki"

"Thor" Thor turned around in annoyance, not finding it in him to handle another one of his brother's tantrums. "Take off your jacket and cover her, she will not be comfortable in the cold, especially not dressed like this" it wasn't a question, but it was made out of concern for Darcy so Thor conceded without any complaint and covered the assistant with his black suit jacket, it was ridiculously big on her and covered her well.

Both of the brothers then made their way out of the observatory and made the trip over the partially repaired bifrost. There were special contraptions that worked as temporary bridges over the not fixed parts. Their parents would have quite a shock, both at seeing Darcy and at seeing their prince sons dressed so Midgardian. Thor had been ready for the party in his black suit with mjölnir hanging from his belt and Loki was dressed in his usual black leather pants but with an ordinary long sleeved t-shirt that Shield must have given him.

The silence between them was deafening, and Thor didn't even know where to start. Except with the obvious, Darcy.

"Brother, if she still isn't safe from the search you must let her go back to Midgard, she was safe there!"

"No" Loki deadpanned and glared at his brother. "I wasn't allowed to even try to protect her the first time, I damn will now! I can keep her safe here, no matter what mother's stupid puddle says!" Loki growled and Thor sighed.

"Don't do her that disservice, if she stays and they look for her she will-"

"No she will not! Because I will keep her safe, they won't touch her, I will make sure of that" Loki said and Thor felt both wary and sad at the nearly manic tone of voice his brother had, and how hard he held Darcy to him. As if already trying to hide her away from the world.

"And what will she want? She made a choice last time-"

"Don't you dare call that her choice" Loki hissed at him and Thor sighed.

"All I am saying brother is that if you love her, you must protect her even if it hurts you, and if that means letting her go then that is what you must do. For her sake"

"What would you have done if it had been Jane?" Loki asked defiantly and Thor looked at him with apprehension "Would you have let yourself be forced away from her, to not even be allowed to protect her. We both knew what you would have done _brother_ , so don't play righteous with me and pretend to be above it all"

The silence filled up between them as they walked after that, the wind around them was still except from the gentle falling of snow in the chilly air. Thor looked up at the golden palace fondly, regarding the snow covered towers and trees and the snow covered houses in the town below. Almost at the end of the bridge they could see the town guards approach them, that was when Loki spoke again.

"There is a chance that she is safe, that they stopped looking" although he wanted to sound as sure as his hope for it was, it came out sounding like a unlikely desperate hope to his brother's ears, but Thor said nothing. They were met by the town guards who looked at Loki warily but halted any decision on capturing him when the crown prince shook his head with a steeled gaze that dared anyone to challenge his non spoken order. So they walked behind and around them and escorted them through the dark town. As they got closer to the palace the warier Loki became, he had no doubt that he would be severely punished, if he was lucky enough to just end up in a cell without any other form of punishment he would be extremely well off…but he doubted Odin would be so forgiving of him…nor would Darcy.

He was wary about that more than of Odin, she would realize what he had done, what he had become soon enough. And maybe she wouldn't love him after all, and that would be too much for him. He could bear her suspicion, her nonchalance and evasion of him, but he could not bear her hatred, or disgust or fear of him. That would kill him.

* * *

_Asgard, years before._

Darcy straightened the mask she had over her mouth and nose before she got closer to the table where the chitauri body, one of two remaining, laid. She tried to listen in on what Eir was saying to another healer, he specialized in other race's anatomy, and she hoped that they were talking about throwing the bodies away so that Darcy would be rid of this particular study. She didn't know if it was the air in the cold bare chamber that was giving her headaches or if the smell of the body was, but when she had asked Eir about it she made it clear that if Darcy was uncomfortable she could just leave, and she knew that if she did she would get on Eir's bad side. Eir had been a bit testy with her these last few weeks as Darcy had spent more time away from her healing and studying than Eir would have liked her too.

"Darcy" Eir called and Darcy walked over to the two of them. "You are relieved from your duties here, Ragnar and I believe that there is not more to learn from these creatures, so you may leave, before you do anything else check in on the ward and see if you are needed, if not you may go do what you please" Eir said dismissively and Darcy curtsied, instead of shrieking in happiness and relief.

"Yes, madam" Darcy walked out of the room and threw of her mask and skipped over to the healing ward. When she was there she was much warmer than earlier, both due to skipping and the warm summer air. She walked past several beds until she reached Essa who was tending to a boy with a broken arm.

She smiled briefly to the mother of the boy and then bowed down to Essa who was sitting on a chair in front of him.

"Do you need help?"

"No thanks, I have bandaged broken arms before" Essa replied without taking her eyes from the wrapping around the boy's arm. Darcy rolled her eyes at her friend.

"I don't doubt it, I mean in the ward" Darcy took a quick look around. The boy and his mother were alone but for two others and they looked like a broken leg, and some kind of allergic reaction but he was just looking more grumpy than life threateningly ill. Essa looked around as well and then looked up at Darcy.

"No, but if there is an epidemic or an avalanche or something like it you can come back"

"Avalanche in the summer?"

"I'm prepared for anything" Essa deadpanned as she focused on the boy's arm again, Darcy rolled her eyes with a smile and kissed the top of Essa's head quickly before leaving. She was by now ready to just throw her stifling work dress off and crash into bed and pray that her headache would pass.

She finally got to her chambers and she barely had time to get to her bedroom door until the main door burst open.

"Darcy!" if the crash from the door had startled her, the wide eyed look on Loki's indescribably happy face calmed her just as quickly. She laughed in surprise as Loki picked her up and spun her around in the air. She braced her hands against his shoulders so she wouldn't lose balance as he spun her around. When he stopped spinning her she looked down at him and he then dropped her down to the floor gently.

"What's this about?" She asked but barely got the words out as Loki pulled her face to his and kissed her deeply. His arms went around her waist and pulled her even closer to him, he could have gone on forever but Darcy gently pushed at him so she could breath and as she did she cupped his face so she could talk to him without him attacking her lips, although pleasantly, again.

"Tell me"

"We are going to marry" Loki said, his body feeling ridiculously light as he said it. He watched as Darcy's facial expression changed from unregistering, completely surprised, astonished and then finally a large laughing smile appeared on her face and she jumped up and put her arms around his neck.

"Truly?" She laughed and he squeezed her tightly and partly inhaled the wild mass that was her hair.

"Truly! I just came from mother, father had spoken too her about this morning and they agree. We have to have a long engagement so you can appear at court more but then father will announce our engagement" Darcy covered her stupid wide grin with her hand as she looked up at Loki. He picked her up again, this time so that she laid in his arms with her arms around his neck. She laughed as he walked towards her bedroom door.

"The whole of Asgard, and all other realms, will know that you are to be my wife" He said and with a kick he opened her door and walked in. He threw her down on the bed and she giggled as he quickly climbed on top of her and kissed her. He started to work on the bothersome buttons of her work dress as he straddled her, but his gaze didn't leave her eyes.

"And when we marry the whole of Asgard will be there, royalty from other realms will be there. You will be the most beautiful bride Asgard has ever seen and ever will see, you will glow more than the stars above" After getting stuck on a button he waved his hand and the bothering blue dress was gone, and he leaned over to kiss the swell of her breasts barely covered by the thin white under dress, her fingers tangled in his hair and then started to push down his coat which he willingly shrugged off and threw to the floor, as his mouth continued up to her lips were they hovered just above hers. "And you will be mine" He whispered against her lips and she kissed him sweetly and then pulled back with a hand on his cheek to hold him back.

"I'll be yours" She murmured and stroked his cheek with her thumb, he smiled and she kissed him deeper this time before breathing out her words against his lips. "And you'll be mine"


	16. 16

_Going back to the corner where I first saw you_

_Gonna camp in my sleeping bag I'm not gonna move_

_Got some words on cardboard, got your picture in my hand_

_Saying, "If you see this girl can you tell her where I am?"_

_-The man who can't be moved_

They heavy gold and oak doors that led to the throne room were open when Loki and Thor, and an unconscious Darcy, finally reached the palace core. Loki quickly took in the number of guards and how armed they were as they walked closer to the throne. Odin was sitting on the throne in his golden armor and spear in hand, and Frigga was standing next to him. But when her sons got closer she eventually descended the stairs. Partly due to being anxious to hold her children, and amazed at the sight of a woman lying in Loki's arms…and not just any woman.

Thor glanced back when he heard the guards they passed move after them, they clearly formed to close off any exits for his brother. He briefly wondered if he should have unlocked Loki's cuffs, to give him some chance of escape, but no. Loki needed to be punished for this, and he had a strong suspicion that Loki would not run away as long as Darcy was kept in Asgard. Their mother met them at the bottom of the stairs and quickly moved forward to Loki, her eyes never leaving Darcy's still form.

She put her hand on Darcy's forehead and her other hand over her chest, Frigga frowned slightly and then looked at Loki who was watching his mother carefully.

"Let me" Frigga said gently and Loki only hesitated for a moment before moving Darcy over in his mother's arms. The queen moved over to an ottoman that was placed against one of the pillars next to the stairs and laid the young woman down on the cushions.

"Both of my sons have returned home I see" Odin's rumbling voice brought Loki's attention away from Darcy to the pathetic man on the throne. "Have the midgardians ended their punishment already?" _you would have had me punished for a thousand years if you had decided._

"Not quite. Loki was not safe on Midgard, shield had reason to believe he was threatened so they made a plan to bring him to Asgard in case of an attack…which occurred today. That is why we are here" Odin's gaze moved down to look at Frigga tending to the girl. The queens eyes were closed as she looked through the girl's energy for injuries. He looked back at Loki, who watched him with narrowed eyes and angry expression.

"It seems your captivity in Midgard gave you other things than repentance" He looked at Darcy "Is it really her?" Frigga looked up and met his gaze and nodded.

"It is" She looked back at Loki and Thor "She is fine, the trip took a lot of energy from her. She needs to rest"

Odin nodded "Very well. Over to more important matters" He said and glared at Loki's defiant face. "You are to be punished for your crimes against Asgard as well-"

"Father I must remind you that Loki put an end to the attack on earth voluntarily!" Thor interjected and Odin scoffed.

"And I have strong suspicions that instead of doing it out of duty, or goodness of his heart, he did it for something else entirely!" Thor said and pointed at Darcy's unconscious form. "That does not exonerate him of a punishment!"

"Of course it doesn't but the all facts need to be considered! Loki worked with the humans, he helped them rebuild their world-"

"After he destroyed it and was forced to aid them" Odin bellowed out and Thor was about to throw back another retort when Loki cleared his throat loudly and both Odin and Thor looked at him in surprise.

"I don't care for what my punishment shall be, do as you wish, argue as much as you want. I only have one request, that it is postponed until Darcy has woken up" Loki said evenly and Odin frowned.

"how long will she need to rest?" Odin asked Frigga who opened her mouth to answer when Loki cut in-

"Until she has _truly_ woken up!" he growled and Odin sighed.

"That may not be possible" Frigga said and stood to face her youngest son who looked at her with wildly desperate eyes.

"Yes it will be. Look into that stupid pool of yours that started this whole fucking thing and fix it, no matter what you see, she will have to wake up"

Frigga walked up to him and grabbed his hands, still caught in the shackles.

"I would do anything to make you happy, you know that. But if I still see them looking, I will not wake her, for her sake and for yours"

Loki laughed harshly "Anything to make me happy? I find that hard to believe given the circumstances" He said bitterly, and Frigga, the woman he had thought was his mother for more than thousands of years, turned sad at his words but still faced him with the determination he had always known she possessed.

"Nonetheless, you are my son, and that is all I want for you. So I will agree to you request" she turned her eyes to Odin who had watched their interaction carefully, and he sighed and stood up.

"You will abide by my rules and resume your punishment without complaint or struggle when the time is up" Odin said and Frigga exhaled in relief. Loki bowed sarcastically.

"Of course my liege" He sneered and Frigga could see her husband's face turn into thunder again so she acted quickly.

"Thor, take Darcy to the soul forge, contact Essa and have her prepare it until I arrive to tend to her. I shall consult the stars first." Thor nodded and walked over to pick up Darcy, and Frigga turned to the guards "Escort my son to his rooms, three guards shall be outside his door at all times, and they shall follow him when he is outside but at a respectable distance. He may move freely but not outside the palace" Frigga met Loki's cold eyes before she turned around and walked up the stairs.

While she walked up to Odin her orders were carried out swiftly and when she stopped in front of her husband it was only them and a few guards left in the hall.

"What shall you do?" Odin asked and Frigga sighed.

"I will search through space and time for signs of darkness around her still"

"And if you find darkness?" Odin asked and Frigga looked down at him sadly.

"Then I shall have to do it all over again" and break her youngest son once more. Odin sighed.

"And if there is none she will remain here" Frigga didn't imagine the hopeful tone in her husband's voice. He didn't wish Loki any ill, but their youngest son was very difficult. But Darcy had made him better, and both the king and queen had rejoiced the change in their son that Darcy had brought. And if they sent her back he would turn even worse than before.

"She shall remain and watch Loki being punished" Frigga said bitterly and Odin took her hand.

"Loki deserves to be punished, you saw what he did to Midgard-"

"I know, I know" Frigga said and sighed. "How could I not have seen this coming?" She asked quietly and Odin squeezed her hand.

"In a way you did, my love. But don't blame yourself"

"But we made so many mistakes" Frigga sighed and Odin closed his eye with a sigh.

"We did what we had to do"

* * *

When Darcy woke up she was sore all over, and the bright light that flashed when she opened her eyes didn't make it better.

"Ugh, what time is it anyway?" Darcy groaned and reached for her phone on the nightstand to check the time, only there was no nightstand, just air. So she opened her eyes again, despite the light. She gaped in surprise at what she saw.

She was lying in a big bed, soft white pillows and dark blue soft covers with some furry brown animal blanket over her feet and end of the bed. The light was coming from a window on the stone wall next to the bed, there were vines growing around the window and along the walls and while she searched for the source of the vines she saw something moving, and it wasn't the fur at her feet (thank god!).

"Holy hell you scared me!" Darcy gasped and the woman on the other side of the bed just smirked.

"I apologize, I figured talking would scare you more" she didn't sound entirely apologetic, more amused than anything. The woman next to the bed looked like she was Darcy's age and was unfairly beautiful, she could even put Natasha to shame, but just a little. She had glittering blue eyes and straight straw blonde hair and her face was crazy symmetrical, just wow. She was wearing a red dress, it was simple but just as pretty for it.

Darcy sat up more and leaned back against the headboard with a groan. "No it's fine." She looked around the room again before looking back at the woman. "I'm not sure what's happening, obviously I'm still in Asgard. Did I faint?" Darcy frowned and then looked at the woman with a sheepish expression "And who are you?"

The woman didn't say anything for a moment but after opening her mouth a few times she finally spoke "You fainted, both the queen and I tended to you. You have no injuries but I gave you something for the after effects of the trip to help you recover, the bifrost is not what it used to be after all. You should only feel sore for about an hour after waking then it will go away, but you don't have to deal with being sick all over yourself, so that's positive" She swallowed hard before speaking again "And my name is Essa, I'm a healer, the queen assigned me to be your maid"

Darcy nodded "Well thank you, for not letting me puke everywhere. But don't you want to be away healing someone right now? It must be pretty dull to go from healer to maid" Darcy said with a smile but Essa shook her head.

"I truly don't mind" Essa said and Darcy just smiled, assuming that the insistence behind Essa's words were because of being ordered by the queen to be her maid. She probably just didn't want to lose her head, or did Asgardians do that?

"I will go and get you breakfast, you just keep resting" Essa said before walking out of the room and carefully closed the door opposite the bed behind her. Darcy pushed the covers off her, despite her aching muscles and stood up next to the bed. Her dress was wrinkled and the tight fabric didn't make it easier for her to move either. She walked over to the window and looked out through the foggy glass. It was white outside from huge amounts of snow covering the roofs she could see below. She could see a town further down surrounding the palace, the houses looked like marshmallows and the people walking among them looked like ants.

After watching out the window for a while she walked to the door and pushed it open. She walked out into what looked like a living room. There were couches and tables, and bookshelves lining the walls, and more of the damn vines climbing along the walls. She tried to find the source of the vines, they couldn't just grow out of nowhere, there had to be a potted plant around here somewhere. She followed the vines to thick drapes and pushed them apart to find a glass door with metallic vines supporting it, and she shivered at the cold that came from the door. She looked out through the glass and saw that it led to a small balcony outside. It was completely covered by snow, and the two chairs and table that were on the balcony were almost completely buried in it. She jumped at the sound of someone opening the big door on the opposite side of the room and quickly closed the drapes behind her and hurried back into her room, she felt like she was snooping around and that she needed to hide it for some reason, it all felt very childish. But when Essa opened the door to the bedroom she would never have guessed that Darcy had been out of bed.

Essa put down a tray on Darcy's lap with different fruits and cheeses and bread, and something hot in a cup that almost looked like hot chocolate but it was much more caramel colored than that.

"Thank you" Darcy said, only realizing how hungry she was when she had seen the food, and Essa just smiled (were her eyes a little redder than they had been before she left?) and walked over to a big wardrobe and opened it. The colors of the dresses varied and Essa looked back at her expectantly.

"What do you feel like wearing today?" Darcy swallowed down a mouthful of the honey tasting thing in the cup and looked at the dresses in the wardrobe.

"Umm, are you sure you have my size?"

Essa gave her a blank look "I'm absolutely sure" Darcy frowned a little at that, how creepy would it have been if they got her measurements and made the dresses while she slept…very much so. But she looked at Essa, they looked like they were about the same size, so maybe she had brought her dresses, part from the breast area but Essa only fell slightly short in that area, did she have to be so ridiculously perfect?

"I think I'll be fine in my own dress, I won't stay here for long and-"

"The bifrost isn't what it used to be, and Heimdall and the allfahter drain a lot of their own energy when it is used, so you will have to wait sometime before travelling back. And the Asgardian winter will not be kind to you in that dress, it's a gorgeous dress, but a cold one" Essa sighed wistfully "I really wished we could have those dresses here" She said and Darcy smiled.

"Hey, who knows maybe I can send you some when I get back to earth if you send me some of this" Darcy gestured to the cup in her hand "It's delicious"

"We have a deal it seems" Essa smiled widely and then turned to the wardrobe again. "What shall it be?"

…

Essa had eventually got her into a dark purple winter dress, it was surprisingly heavy but its beauty made up for it. The bodice was a darker shade of purple than the rest of the dress and the corset was surprisingly comfortable, the sleeves were long and tight and went down to her wrists, the skirt was slightly ruffled and shined when the light hit it. She felt like a princess but probably looked more like a Disney villain, but they always got the cooler outfits so she could totally deal with that. Essa braided two braids at the sides of her heads that went back of her head to make one big braid. She had told the other woman that she could absolutely ditch her healing career to be a hairdresser and Essa had just smirked and told her 'wait until I do something actually impressive', which made Darcy even more impressed of the healer.

She got a grey fur coat to cover her arms and neck more from the cold, the dress would take care of the rest of her. When Essa was done pampering her she stepped back and smiled.

"You are really beautiful" Essa cursed herself for how shaky her voice sounded and swallowed down the lump in her throat for the hundred time. Darcy met her gaze in the mirror and smiled shyly and looked down on the skirt.

"Thanks. Thanks a lot for the help by the way" Essa made a small curtsy and smiled. "I'm going to go and find Thor" Essa followed her as she walked towards the main door and opened it only to step back a little.

"Whoa" Darcy said in surprise when the two guards scared her, they hadn't done anything but stand still but that didn't mean she had been ready for it. She looked back at Essa "Why are there guards outside my room?"

"For your protection"

"Okay…" Darcy said and glanced at the guards as she walked past them out into the corridor. Essa had covered her red dress with a white grey fur and was looking like a princess. Possibly the princess evil Disney witch Darcy had captured. Darcy smirked happily as she imagined that particular Disney movie.

"Do you know where Thor is?" Darcy asked and Essa shrugged.

"I think he should be-"

"Essa!" both women turned at the call of Essa's name and the man who had called for her came to a sudden stop as he watched Darcy turn around.

"Hey I remember you!" Darcy said with a smile and walked closer to the Robin Hood looking guy. "You are one of Thor's friends, you came to Puente Antigo when that robot thing attacked us" Darcy said and Robin Hood smiled hesitantly, but then bowed gallantly.

"I sure did my lady!"

"I can't remember your name though"

"It's Fandral"

"Great, I'm Darcy"

"I know"

Darcy frowned and Essa once again wished Fandral didn't have to be such a show off.

"You know?" Darcy asked and only then Fandral seemed to realize what he had done, and stuttered to correct it.

"Yes, Thor has told us of you, and Lady Jane of course" he looked at Essa who gave him a droll stare and he looked back at Darcy. "If you could excuse me for a moment" He walked to Essa.

"We need your help" He had lowered his voice but Darcy could still hear him.

"What?" Essa asked, she was much more quiet that Fandral was.

"It's the second general, he won't stay back until he has spoken to you about…" He cleared his throat and Essa sighed and looked at Darcy.

"I need to go and see to something, don't go anywhere. I'll be right back!" Essa said and Darcy nodded with a little smile and watched Essa and Fandral disappear down the long corridor and then around a corner. She sighed and looked around, wondering what to do when she waited. Light was coming through what looked like windows just a bit in front of her so she walked over to look outside, there weren't just windows but stairs leading down to a snowed in garden and Darcy walked down carefully.

There was a path trampled in the snow so she didn't drown in it, otherwise it would have reached her knees. She walked over to the ice fountain that was in the center of the garden and reached out to touch the icicles hanging from the different levels in the fountain. She brushed away the thick layer of snow from the thick edge of the pool and then sat down and continued to let her nails trail patterns in the ice of the pool.

She could see her partial reflection in the ice, and how a sudden shadow appeared behind her. She spun around quickly, expecting Loki for some reason, as he always liked to creep up on people. But she looked up to see an older man. He had a short salt and pepper beard, brown hair with grey highlights tied back at his neck, both the beard and his hair seemed to blend into the grey and brown fur on his cloak collar, under the cloak he had an armor, similar to Thor's actually but less braggy, and more metal looking than silver. He looked kind of menacing, except that his blue eyes were kind, and he kind of reminded her of Boromir from lord of the rings.

He raised his arms in a surrendering move and smiled only a tiny smile. "I apologize for frightening you, that wasn't my intention" Darcy stood up and faced him properly.

"No problem, everyone manages to scare me today. I'm not always like this, I swear" Darcy laughed and pulled the fur closer around her.

"I believe you" The man said gravely not taking his blue eyes off her. Darcy looked around for Essa as the silence between them grew, this was kind of awkward.

"So, did you want something?" Darcy asked hesitantly and the big man inhaled deeply.

"No, just simple curiosity. They tell me you are from Midgard?" He said and crossed his arms over his chest.

Darcy nodded "Yep, from New York actually, but you don't know what that is so that was unnecessary." Darcy babbled and then shrugged. "Anyway, I actually have a question about Asgardian geography." He looked at her expectantly "Is the palace the only, you know city, in Asgard or are there more out there?"

He smiled slightly "Asgard is a great realm, the palace is the center piece if you will. But then there are different regions. The ocean border, the mountain lands, the hills, the great forests. People live there as well. I am from the ocean border myself" Darcy nodded thoughtfully.

"That makes more sense, Thor makes it sound like Asgard is just this place which doesn't work out in my head, that would mean a lot of incest and all kinds of socioeconomic difficulties-" She continued to ramble and the big man just continued to stand there and listen to her with a small smile on his lips.

"Do you miss Midgard?" He asked suddenly and Darcy paused and nodded.

"Well, yeah. Don't get me wrong, this place is magical and I always wanted to come with Thor and Jane to see it sometime. But I'm worried about my friends back home, when we came here our home was being attacked and I left my friends behind. I wanted to stay and help, but I probably wouldn't have been useful there anyway. I suck at fighting" Darcy said with a self-depreciating smile and looked away at the fountain.

"I don't think that's true" She looked back at the man who was watching her intensely. But it wasn't in a creepy way, she had had enough of creepy intense looks from guy's in bars, how he looked at her was different.

"I think you are a very capable woman, you just need to believe in yourself more. Our strength is not measured in how well we fight, strength is different in everyone, and I am sure that if you just think about it you do have a strength that could help in all situations." He sighed and looked up at the palace "But it's always hard when it feels like you can't help the ones you love, and even harder when it's true that you can't" He smiled sadly and Darcy felt sorry for him. He had obviously lost someone.

"Darcy!" She looked back at the stairs and saw Essa standing at the top of the stairs. "We should go find Thor"

Darcy looked back at the man and reached out her hand. "It was nice to meet you…" she didn't know his name. He looked down at her hand and took it with his own rough calloused one.

"Eddard Nordenstierna" He said with a small smile, but he still looked sad. "It was nice to meet you too" Darcy let go of his hand and walked up to Essa and followed her through the corridor again. She looked back when she heard footsteps and saw the rest of Thor's friends outside the entrance to the garden, Eddard appeared from the opening and stalked past the warriors, he looked upset, and they followed him.

The way they followed him made her suspicious and she hoped she hadn't met another super villain…that would be very bad for her image.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so grateful for all your kind reviews and I always love hearing your thoughts on what I write, it really makes my day to read them.   
> I love Sean Bean as Boromir (Which I had to reference in this chapter when Darcy meets him) and Eddard Stark. He has this strong presence in both the movies and series that I absolutely love, his parental vibes towards certain characters are amazing.  
> We are getting closer to answers and more encounters that will illuminate Darcy's backstory even more.  
> The song was meant for this chapter from the beginning, it is just so heartbreakingly good and fits so well.


	17. 17

_When you find me free falling out of the sky_   
_And I'm spiraling out of control_   
_When I drop like a cannonball from Cloud 9_   
_Just promise you won't let me go_   
_Say you'll catch me when I fall_   
_Wrap your wings around my body_   
_When I'm lost in the storm_   
_And I'm calling_

_-Wings_

Frigga sat on the edge of her pool and stared down into the water. Through the slight rippling of the surface she could see through space and time, she could hear things realms away. But what she really wanted to know seemed to evade her yet again so she brought her mind back to her body and when it returned she leaned away from the pool and sighed. She rubbed her forehead with her fingers, trying to fight the coming headache. The door to her chamber opened and she didn't need to look back to know who it was. The queen rose to her feet and walked to the ottoman not far away from the pool and sat down on it.

Loki didn't say anything as he walked around the pool looking down in the water. The circular window in the ceiling was covered with snow which made the room slightly more darker than it used to be. The lighting made the shadows on Loki's face more pronounced, he probably hadn't slept very well. She looked at the guards standing by at the door and waved them away, and they closed the door behind them obediently.

She clutched her shawl tighter around her as she watched as Loki sat down on the edge of the pool and let his fingers ripple the otherwise still surface.

"Did you see anything?" He asked, still turned away from her.

"I am afraid not. It was a long time since I tried to breach the void, I forgot how difficult it was"

"You did it only six years ago, it shouldn't be too difficult to do it again" His voice was even and cold and Frigga wanted to scold him for speaking to her like that, but she sensed he was here to scold her instead, and she would let him.

"Darling, I won't stop. I will rest for a moment then I shall try again" Loki turned slightly to glance back at her and then turned his gaze towards the pool in silence.

Frigga sighed as the silence filled the room. "You are angry with me" her words didn't seem to touch him at all. "I do deserve some of that anger I believe, but speak it out loud instead of letting it fester inside you"

The prince didn't move for what seemed like an eternity and when he spoke he still didn't turn around to look at his mother.

"You made me believe I was your son, that I was a prince of Asgard and equal to my brother. But it was all lies, maybe that is why am the god of lies, being surrounded by them all my life!"

"You are my son-" Frigga tried gently but Loki whipped around with a bellowing scream.

"Lies!" The doors opened and the guards streamed in but Frigga just looked at them and waved them away again.

"You are not needed here" The guards watched the prince towering over the queen warily but backed away at the steeled gaze of the queen. When the doors closed again she turned her gaze up to Loki.

"I am the son of the Jotun king, who I killed, I am a kinslaying frostgiant. The monsters we fight, the monsters all children in Asgard, including myself, are taught to fear and hate from an early age! I was not brought to Asgard to be your son, I was brought here to be a pawn politics to be used against Laufey…" Loki let out a shuddering breath and watched Frigga's face carefully as his skin turned blue, the ridges on his skin appeared and his eyes turned red. There was no change on the queen's face as she watched her son. But the shackles on him didn't allow him to entertain such demanding magic for long so his Midgardian for returned after only a short while.

"I am not your son" Loki said bitterly, knowing how well his true appearance highlighted that.

"Yes you are" Frigga said fiercely and stood up in front of Loki. "You are my son, and you would still be my son no matter what origin you had. It is true that you were brought here from Jotunheim to be used as leverage over Laufey, that was what Odin planned when he first knew Laufey had a son." She held up a hand to stop Loki from opening his mouth "And you can think what you want about your father but when he saw you that day, as I have relived through his memory, alone and screaming in the snow, he forgot all about those plans. And when you grabbed his finger and your skin turned pink to mimic his own…" Frigga smiled a teary smile. "He hid you and brought you back to me, and I took you with me to my old home in Vanaheim where I hid you for nine months. When I brought you back to the palace and presented you to the court you truly were my son, and a true prince of Asgard. We love you as our own son, we always have" when Frigga tried to reach for his cheek he pulled back and she let her hand fall to her side again with a sad sigh.

"That does not condone your lies" Loki hissed and Frigga sighed sadly and shook her head.

"I know that. When you have your own children you will understand us better. The lies we told you and hid you in are unforgivable, but we did it because we wanted to protect you, as all parents desperately want to protect their children."

Loki snorted out a laugh "Oh yes, which brings us to the next predicament, who would ever want children with me!" Loki snarled and stepped down the two steps the led up to the ottoman Frigga sat down on again. He circled the fountain angrily and gestured at it.

"Darcy? She did not fall in love with a frost giant! She did not agree to marry a frost giant, and nor would I have allowed myself to fall in love with her if I had known that I was one!"

"Exactly my point" Frigga said evenly and Loki glared at her. "We wanted to protect you from those thoughts. You wouldn't have lived a normal life if you had known what you were and you certainly wouldn't have found the love that you had with Darcy if you had known that"

"Oh well that makes everything so much better" Loki snarled sarcastically, and Frigga sighed in irritation.

"Then why bring Darcy here at all then?" Frigga asked and Loki came to a standstill. "If you believe that she couldn't love you if she had known you were a frost giant, then why did you pursue her in Midgard and bring her here?" Loki turned to look at her.

"She doesn't have to know"

"Of course she does!" Frigga gasped "You can't lie to her"

"Why not? I am the god of lies am I not? And since your plan was to lie about this all my life, I might as well go with the same approach" Loki growled and walked towards the door.

"We were going to tell you when you got engaged, we realized you would have children and we didn't want you to find out that way or lie to them like we did with you" Frigga said sadly. Loki turned from the door to look back at her coldly.

"There will be no children like me" Loki stated and then threw the doors open and stalked out, followed by his guards.

Frigga walked down from her chaise to the pool again and took a deep breath before she lowered her face into the water. Once again she searched through space and this time, after what felt like a lifetime, she found something. And what the queen saw made her heart stop.

* * *

When Thor made his way through the corridors towards his father's study, he planned to plead for Loki once more, he was surprised when he saw the second general stalk down the corridor towards him with the warriors three and Sif following him.

"General, what brings you here?" Thor asked warily, seeing the frustrated look on the second general's face.

The big general glowered at him. "You know very well what brings me here, and I must speak with the queen"

Thor shook his head "I am afraid my mother is not available today"

The general's eyes darkened at that and when he spoke his dark voice was low and ominous "After what she did to me and my family she will suffer me even if she is not _available_ " he sneered out the word and tried to pass the prince but Thor grabbed his arm quickly. The general's other hand came to rest on the sword at his belt and the warriors three and Sif threw their weapons at the act.

"I do not wish to fight you Eddard. I know these last years have been hard for you, but if you disturb my mother now you may lose your chance of having your daughter back" the older man's eyes widened and he removed his hand from his sword which made the warriors behind him relax slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"The queen is searching for threats against Darcy, those that brought her away, and if she can't find any…it is possible that Darcy will remain here" He heard the general breath out shakily.

"And she will remember?"

"Yes"

Eddard swallowed hard, trying to comprehend that he was actually getting his daughter back, it was too good to be true almost.

"I saw her today" Eddard said and Thor raised an eyebrow and looked at the warriors behind the general tasked to keep him and any other unauthorized person away from Darcy. Fandral and Volstagg smiled sheepishly, Sif and Hogun merely stared straight ahead.

"She looks the same but for her hair, it's shorter now. She is the same but she didn't know who I was" Thor felt a pang of sympathy for the older man who despite the obvious pain the words brought him didn't show any emotion on his face.

"I will return to the yard for now, and I won't require and escort" Eddard stated with a glare back at the warriors, he bowed slightly to Thor before leaving. Thor turned to his friends who were either looking at the floor, ceiling, walls or at their nails.

"Anyone wanting to take responsibility for letting him see her? I believe I was explicit in my explanation of how meeting her father or any other person from her previous life could confuse her" As soon as he was done talking the warriors mouths erupted in accusations of each other and Thor rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"Figured as much" He sighed and continued to walk to his father with his shouting friends behind him.

* * *

The conference room at base was filled with a mix of odd looking people. The avengers sat around the table in their party clothes from last night but the clothing had odd tears and were dusty and wrinkled. Tony sat down with a cup of coffee and handed one to Bruce and Pepper as well. They had decided, or more Tony had decided, that Pepper deserved to be debriefed after the attack had taken place where she lived after all. Pepper and Jane were looking better than most of the group, the safe route had taken them to underground tunnels that led to a underground parking lot with Tony's ridiculous sports cars, so they had gotten away quickly enough.

Tony took a sip of the coffee as they waited for Fury and Hill to come and speak, and then spit it back into the mug.

"Oh what in the seven hells is that?" He sputtered and Steve frowned.

"Seven hells?"

"It's a game of thrones reference Cap', just one of the biggest and most successful franchises of all time after Harry Potter, get with it"

Steve smirked "Harry Potter I've seen"

Tony looked around as he pushed the cup far away from him. "Where is Darcy? She is probably the only one who makes good coffee here" Pepper glared at him and he froze for a moment before adding "But I love you"

Jane who had been moping about her yet again gone boyfriend seemed to snap out of her haze as her eyes suddenly widened comically and she jumped up from her chair "Oh my god where is Darcy?!" which started the mystery of the missing assistant.

* * *

_Asgard, years before._

When Loki knocked on Darcy's door it was opened by a servant girl, Nora, he believed was her name. She curtsied and let him through and he walked into an unusual chaos. There were children running around with wooden swords and both young and older women looking over them and having conversations of their own.

A little boy ran into his legs and wrapped his arms around them so he wouldn't fall, when he looked up it was with wide surprised blue eyes. The sun streamed through the windows and the open door leading out to the balcony, and the light made the boy's already red curls even redder. He frowned up at him as he released his legs and took a step back.

"Who are you?" The boy asked, his freckled face conveying high suspicion. One of the women seemed to finally notice them and she gasped and hurried over to pick the little boy up in her arms.

"Mattis, don't be rude!" She whispered hurriedly and then curtsied deeply and the rest followed, while the children stood and watched in confusion. "Your highness, I apologize for my son-"

"Don't, there is no need for such an easy error" Loki said and tried to smile reassuringly at the woman who looked a lot like an older version of Darcy but with light brown hair instead. The woman smiled and then turned around to look at a young blonde girl behind her.

"Gunn go and tell Darcy that the prince is here" the young girl's eyes widened and she stared at him for a moment before running out on the balcony. Seconds later Darcy hurried into the room and smiled widely as she saw him. Her bright blue summer dress seemed to glow from the light, and the silver bracelets she wore on her arms and wrists reflected the light.

His gaze was drawn from her body when he saw a child resting in her arms. The little one was wrapped in a white gown that contrasted the dark hair on its head. The eyes were closed and seemed perfectly content to just rest against Darcy's chest forever. _Lucky._

"Your highness" Darcy said cheekily and curtsied in front of him and he bowed, trying to hold back a smirk.

"My lady. Are you well?" Loki asked and Darcy smiled, trying to ignore the eyes she could feel on her from her cousins and aunts. They had been all too curious about their relationships so they would study this moment carefully.

"I am very well thank you, and you, are you prepared for this afternoon?" Loki smiled and was going to speak when a little wail interrupted him and he looked down on the baby.

"Oh aren't you a fussy thing" Darcy cooed and put her hand on the baby's stomach and it grabbed her fingers. That seemed to do it and it went back to cooing lightly before seeming to doze off.

"Who is this?" Loki asked, his voice lower this time so he wouldn't wake the baby. Darcy smiled down at the bundle in her arms.

"This is my new cousin, they have not named him yet, we tend to wait a while before naming our children so that we can find a name that suits their character the most"

"And does that allow more accuracy?" Loki asked and Darcy smirked.

"Does the name Darcy sound odd when applied to me?"

"No, but that is because that is the name you have always had" Loki said with a raised eyebrow and Darcy nodded.

"Exactly" She said with a wink and Loki bit back a grin at her silliness. "Did you wish to speak to me?" Loki shook his head.

"I thought that I would greet your family now, so I won't have to be rude at dinner later after the ceremony" Loki said and Darcy looked at him in shock for a moment before smiling.

"That's very sweet of you" Her aunts exchanged a meaning look behind her back before she turned around to look at the table where they had all sat down at to for tea. Her three aunts, as well as her older cousins, stood up and looked at the prince.

"Your highness, these are my aunts Brigida and Brina Alvarsdottir" the two women, one of whom was the mother to the red headed boy curtsied. "They are from my mother's side of the family" Darcy added and Loki bowed towards them. That would explain the similarity to Darcy then, since she looked so much like her mother, except that the women had brown eyes. Darcy then moved on to her other aunt.

"And this is my other aunt, my father's sister, Agnes Nordenstierna" Loki bowed and Agnes curtsied. She had the same blue eyes as the second general and Darcy had, but just like the general's, there was steel in hers. She reminded him a lot of the general himself, the eyes and the same brown hair and strong jaw.

"And these are my cousins!" Darcy gestured around the table where kids of all ages were sitting, while three of them ran around playing with swords. "We are quite a brood" Darcy said and she wasn't kidding. She gestured to the boy and the girl standing next to Agnes, the girl was close to maturity while the boy was a year or two younger than her. "This is Agnes's children Gunn and Eskil, they are the oldest" Eskil bowed and Gunn curtsied. Gunn looked through her lashes at Darcy to see if she had done it alright and Darcy smiled reassuringly which made the blonde girl smile in relief.

"I have two others but to reign in those rascals are next to impossible" Agnes said and nodded to two of the boys running around with swords fighting an imaginary dragon.

Two young boys with near identical looks looked up at him from where they were standing next to Brina, they had the same red hair as the young boy playing with Agnes's boys, but slightly darker red. "These are Brina's children Leif and Jesper, and this is Saga. And the red head over there is Mattis" The dark haired girl between Brina and Brigida curtsied. Loki had nearly forgotten all their names already and there was one aunt left.

Darcy nodded at the little boy in her arms "This is Brigida's youngest boy, but she has two sons my age"

"They joined the other men for now" Brigida said and walked to Darcy who handed her the baby over to his mother.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all, and I appreciate you coming all this way for the announcement" Loki said, and Darcy could practically feel her aunts (on her mother's side) melt on the inside. Agnes had a bit more restraint than that.

"There is no trouble, we wouldn't miss this for the world" Agnes said.

After a few minutes of casual discussion about the ceremony Loki turned to Darcy.

"May I speak with you for a moment?" Darcy only nodded and grabbed his hand and walked him out onto the balcony, she walked them as far away from the door as possible and then leaned against the railing to look up at him.

"What did you-" Darcy made a sound in surprise as Loki moved his lips against hers and she smiled and put her hands on his chest. They kissed sweetly once more before Loki leaned back to look down at her.

"You do realize I have already forgotten all their names?" He asked and she laughed and he relished the sweet sound.

"I don't blame you for it. My family is quite a handful"

"I like them, and hopefully they will learn to like me too" Darcy smacked his chest lightly.

"Don't say that like it's a hard thing to do!" Loki raised both eyebrows at her.

"You are a one in a million type of person Darcy, the type that actually likes me, for some reason" She smirked and leaned up to kiss him which he greedily accepted.

"But I do have to admit that if that the number of children you want is the same as the number of children your aunts have produced, then we better get started right away" He laughed and then kissed her but he felt tense a little so he stopped and looked down at her quizzically.

"What's wrong?"

Darcy bit her lip before answering "It's nothing really, I don't expect to be as productive as my aunts in that department"

"Due to what reason? It certainly won't be because of lack of trying, I think we both have a…well formed idea of how perfect our _trying_ would be after we wed" he whispered against her lips and she blushed and kissed him, much more relaxed this time.

"In fact we could have been practice _trying_ right now if your aunts and cousins hadn't been here" he kissed her just below the ear and she giggled.

"You wish" Darcy snorted and Loki smirked widely.

"Oh I really do" Darcy shook her head at him with a wide grin. Loki took her hands again.

"But tell me now, what's the matter? Don't you want children?" Darcy's eyes widened.

"No, no I do! I just…I am scared of giving birth" Loki frowned. He knew that the birth was hard and excruciating for a woman, so he didn't know how to comfort her fear away for this one.

"Darling, you will have plenty of midwives, and an army of servants for when that time comes around-"

"No I know" She sighed. "That's not the problem. I have acted midwife myself, and I have attended births several times, so I know how it works. It's just that…" She sighed "I don't want to talk about this today, not really, because my mother would have wanted me to be happy and not think about things like this" She let out a long breath. "My mother died in childbirth"

Loki felt his insides freeze at the words but Darcy continued "She was pregnant just a few years after I was born, it was a boy, but none of them lived through it. That's why I am scared about the birth"

"I don't know how to make it better Darcy" Loki said in a defeated tone and Darcy smiled up at him.

"I don't either. But that is a matter for another time, today is for us" She smiled and squeezed his hands which made him smile. "Our announcement"

"How dull that sounds" Loki said and Darcy laughed.

"It does really. And I am not looking forward to being stared down by the whole court"

"Get used to it, princess" Loki said with a wide smile and Darcy blushed. She looked up at her soon to be announced betrothed and studied his handsome face.

"Do you want children?" Darcy asked and Loki cupped her cheek and trailed his thumb over her cheek.

"I didn't think I did, but with you, I absolutely do" that made Darcy grin and she kissed the inside of his hand.

"We will have the most beautiful children then" she could just imagine them, all dark haired and blue or green eyes. They would be tall like their father and have easy smiles like their mother.

"You know we will" He leaned his head down and caught her lips in a kiss.

* * *

Darcy and Essa stopped in front of a big door and Essa looked back at her quickly before reaching for the handles.

"I'm just going to go in and see if they expect you, just the typical formal nonsense" The blonde rolled her eyes and Darcy nodded as if she was used to formal nonsense.

She couldn't help but feel odd when walking in the palace. She had wanted to see Asgard so many times but now that she was finally here she couldn't help but feel…off, like she had forgotten something and still couldn't remember what it was. Did she forget to pull her curling iron out from the socket and now her apartment was burning down Avengers tower? Probably not, but the masked men had done a pretty good job when they got to it.

Just thinking about it again made her anxious for her friends, she felt guilty. She was living it up in Asgard dressing like a princess while, for all she knew, they might be hurt or the tower burnt down or they could even have been killed! She needed to go home, she needed to help somehow.

"Asgardian fashion suits you" She jumped and turned at the sound of the voice down the hall and she glared at Loki as he walked towards her, followed by four guards. He was unfairly good looking, she imagined that being back in clothes that weren't 'made by ignorant humans' gave him a bit more confidence, and swagger.

"I know" she stated and Loki smirked "The shackles work better with that coat, good choice, who knew you were so fashionable"

The door opened and Essa opened her mouth to speak, but closed it when she saw Loki. She looked back at Darcy quickly.

"Umm… You can come in Darcy" Darcy glanced back at Loki before walking into the room and Essa followed. She shot a quick look at the disgraced prince outside who held her gaze with no emotion on his face. But they both knew what the other one was thinking, and they both wished for the same thing.

The high noise level inside the room was unexpected but cheerful and Darcy immediately felt better by just being there. She saw Thor sitting at the end of one of the tables with his friends, everyone laughing but Thor, who just managed a smile now and again. She walked between the tables up to him and when he saw her he immediately smiled.

"Darcy! Come sit, Essa you too!" Both women sat down among the warriors three and Sif, Essa between Sif and Hogun, and Darcy sat down next to Thor at the end of the table. The table was filled with plates of different kinds of food and Darcy didn't even know where to start.

"How do you like Asgard Darcy?" Thor said with a smile and Darcy shrugged.

"Could have been bigger and more goldy, but it's okay" Thor gave her an incredulous stare and she rolled her eyes "It was a joke big guy. I like it, but I feel like I shouldn't be here"

Darcy was unaware how the companions around her seemed to hold their breaths at the words, Thor managed to speak.

"Why?"

"Because I feel like I abandoned the others at home, I don't know what's going on down there! They could be dead, or injured, or kidnapped and I wouldn't know because I'm up here playing dress up" Thor nodded solemnly at her words.

"I understand how you feel Darcy, I am worried as well. That's why I'm going back to earth in the morning, I will see how they fare and I will come back with the news, and Jane"

Darcy's eyes widened "You're bringing Jane? Are you really going to put her through the 'met my parents who happen to be king and queen of an alien realm' thing, because that is just mean. Jane can hardly handle meeting normal parents" Darcy deadpanned and she heard snorts of laughter from Sif and Essa.

"She seems lovely" Essa said with a sneer in her voice, hiding it behind her cup, but Sif heard her and shot her an amused glance with a smirk of her own.

Thor drank from his cup and then set it down with more force than he needed to "She will do great"

"Are trying to convince me or yourself" Darcy was rewarded with a glare form the prince and she smirked before reaching for food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many names and children!  
> We are getting closer to some answers


	18. 18

_He says, "Oh, baby girl, you know we're gonna be legends_  
I'm a king and you're a queen and we will stumble through heaven  
If there's a light at the end, it's just the sun in your eyes  
I know you wanna go to heaven, but you're human tonight"

_**-** Young God_

_Asgard, years before_.

The royal family made quite the impressive picture that night. The noble, and common people filled the throne hall and the first thing they would see over the masses was the golden family of Asgard.

Odin was on the throne, Frigga on his left side, Thor on his right and Loki next to Thor. They were dressed to impress of course, but the purpose of the gathering was only known to a few and so the hall was busy with talking and whispers of what might brought them there.

Some of the nobles had remarked on the presence of the Alvar family and the Nordenstiernas, they rarely attended court and so their appearance gave way to more speculation. Their presence was not unwelcome, quite the opposite, but still peculiar. Darcy was standing with her family at the bottom of the stairs next to her father, who had dressed finer than usual and was looking very handsome. When she had told him that he had just grunted in dismissal of it, it was strange how easily a general of the Asgardian troops became embarrassed. Her aunts had wasted no effort on making her handsome as well. Her hair was braided away from her face with intricate patterns on the back of her head while a big part of it was just loose and curly. Gunn had managed to attach a white star lily in her braids so that it became the centerpiece of the do, and she wouldn't stop fussing over how pretty her cousin was.

Her dress was green, it was terribly cliché to make it so as everyone knew that that was Loki's favorite color (and it was almost worse now since he wore green now so they would match). It was tight at the bodice to show of her figure, with a flowing skirt and long wide sleeves. The fabric was embroidered with gold thread and the patterns were so small they could hardly be seen unless she moved in the light, then they shimmered. The simple gold chain she had around her neck matched the embroidery, as well as the thin gold bands around her wrists. She was simple yet elegant and eye catching, modest yet daring. It was a strange mix.

Her aunts had given her a drink for her insufferable headache as well, so now that was just a dull reminder in the back of her head, so she could fully focus on how extremely nervous she was. She had already been given a few looks by some of the other nobles, some in greeting with genuine smiles, and some smiles that didn't reach the eyes and some would just look away from her.

When the king stood up a hush went through the hall and Darcy felt her heart beat even harder against her ribcage, she almost wanted to cover it with her hands so she would be sure it couldn't beat through it. She was unaware that Loki felt the same rapid heartbeat as she did, Loki's stone cool exterior didn't let on to the fact that he was slightly nervous as well. Thor's unstoppable smile towards his brother didn't help either, although Loki did feel slightly comforted by it…but there was no way he would say it out loud.

"The people of Asgard has since the beginning of time been a proud and great people" the allfather's voice rang out through the hall and the people clung onto his every word, eager to find out the reason they were there for.

"We have overcome war, terror and to this date nothing has made us falter. We have grown even greater despite all that has come against us, and we have always been victorious!" A cheer went through the hall and Loki could see the small smile on his father's lips. Of course he wouldn't miss the opportunity to enhance his own ego through boosting the people's opinion of him.

"But there are always ways in which our great realm can grow even greater. We create allies, and through them we grow. Which is why you have been called here, to witness an alliance within our own realm that will bring new greatness to its Asgardian throne." Darcy met the king's eye from the top of the stairs and he reached out his hand towards her. She swallowed the giant ball of nerves in her throat, pulled up the skirt at the front of the dress and started to ascend the stairs. As she did she heard the gasps and whispers in reaction and tried to keep the blush from her face, but she kept walking trying to think about what would happen when she reached the top.

When she reached the top she put her only slightly shaking hand in the kings hand and Odin turned his gaze to Loki who stepped forward to stand opposite her. More gasps and whispers came but they seemed so far away when Darcy was all the way up here, and now that Loki was smiling at her. It was only a brief smile, like she was the only one meant to see it and she smiled back before his face took on a more neutral state.

Odin took Loki's hand and turned it palm up, as he did with Darcy's. He drew a quick rune on their palms that soon started to glow a faint blue shade. He let go of their hands and Loki put his hand over his heart, Darcy watched and did the same and when she looked up at him she saw him nod faintly with a small smile.

"House Nordenstierna is to be united with the royal family of Asgard. The marriage between Lady Darcy and Prince Loki will be an example of how Asgard continues to grow, how we continue to prosper and how we will live on in greatness through the ages before Ragnarök!" as the people started to cheer and clap Loki bowed deeply and Darcy curtsied, still holding their hands over their hearts. When they rose up their eyes met and Darcy couldn't help but smile widely, Loki only smiled his half smile but he was just as happy as Darcy.

Both were convinced that the hard part was over, now they had the rest of their lives ahead of them to just love each other and never having to leave the other's side. It was going to be a perfect life…as long as they had each other.

* * *

When Darcy woke up the next morning it was raining. She lay there listening to the pattering against the window, it was strangely calming but the nagging feeling at the back of her head was still there. It felt like she had forgotten something and that she should have remembered it by now, it was extremely annoying but she couldn't shake it off.

She put her feet on the cold stone floor and nearly tripped on the long night gown she wore. It was long and white and chaste which made her look like she had jumped straight out of pride and prejudice, maybe the naughty version. And then she remembered, she was still on Asgard. She had gotten several compliments the night before on how good she looked, and she had to agree. She was built to wear corsets, she had the boobs and the ass for it and she looked fucking great. Too bad Thor had cock/vagina blocked all the people who had hit on her. Now she knew what it would have been like to have an older brother, and it was horrible for the dating game.

She went to the small room next to the wardrobe where the bathtub and chamber pot was, she had told Thor that they needed to get on with the toilets ASAP after using it the first time. After using it she walked back to the bedroom and jumped when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in?" Darcy called out and Essa's blonde head peaked around the door. "Hey girl"

"I would say good morning if it hadn't been midday" Essa smiled and closed the door behind her. Darcy frowned.

"Really?"

"Yes, but seeing as yesterday was a long night for you it's understandable" Essa smiled and walked over to open the wardrobe. She had stayed up with Darcy the previous night, the small celebration of Thor's probably short return home, and she had thoroughly enjoyed having Darcy back. Even though when she spoke sometimes Essa didn't understand her, but that didn't diminish the glee Essa felt over having her best friend back. The Darcy that Essa had known in private, the brazen, silly and outgoing woman, was different to how Darcy had been in public. Especially when Loki had courted her and during their engagement period, it had been very important that Darcy acted appropriately and Essa couldn't say she liked how the public eye had treated her friend's gleeful personality, Darcy had become more solemn when with the court and more…stiff. But the private Darcy that Essa had loved dearly was how this Darcy acted all the time, and she couldn't express how sweet that feeling was to have her loved one back after so long.

"You were really popular last night" Essa said with a raised eyebrow and Darcy snorted.

"Yeah, but it would have been better not to have had Thor breathing down my neck and throwing off my game. Can't a woman flirt alone?" Darcy groaned and Essa thought about what to say but Darcy started to talk again so she wouldn't have to "And I have to ask, do you have a thing for Sif?"

Essa shrugged innocently "Maybe" And Darcy gaped, she had just assumed that sexuality was a very hushed subject in Asgard, because of the olden time feel of the place. ´

"Shut up! You would be so cute together! Is she gay?" Darcy asked wide eyed, ready to go into full blown shipping mode, and Essa sighed.

"Not in this life no, but they say that the most romantic love is the unrequited one. But there are some pretty men out there as well" Darcy's eyes nearly popped out of her head, this woman was too perfect.

"You're bi?" Essa frowned slightly and Darcy explained "You like both men and women?"

"Yes, life, even an Asgardian one, is too short for limiting yourself" She said with a smile and Darcy laughed.

"True"

"What do you feel like wearing today?" Essa asked and looked back into the wardrobe, Darcy walked up next to her and stared into the closet.

"I really need to make sweat pants a thing here" Darcy mumbled and Essa frowned, _sweat pants?_

Darcy looked back at the window before turning to Essa with a wicked smile that she had really missed. "I know what we are doing today"

* * *

 

Darcy shrieked with laughter as another ball of snow caught her stomach and threw a snowball towards Essa who ducked it skillfully. It was a completely new experience for Darcy, not the snowball fight itself, but having to do it in a medieval looking dress. It really messed with the balance it turned out.

The back of her head was hit and Darcy raised her hands in a surrendering move "Okay okay I'm dead! Stop hitting me!" when no other ball came she turned around hesitantly only to have a snowball shoved into her face by a now laughing Essa.

Sif walked down to the garden and was staring at them with a shocked expression. They made quite the strange picture, both red faced and their hair covered with snow and dressed in bright dresses. Essa was wearing the one from the day before with her white fur, red was apparently her favorite color, and she looked gorgeous in it. Darcy had a new dress but the same grey fur around her neck and arms, similar fit to the last one but the skirt wasn't so wide as the other one, and it was in a soft blue color.

"What have you been doing?" Sif asked as she met them down in the garden.

"Snowball fight, she insulted my honor and that's how we handle it in Midgard…when we don't have guns" Darcy deadpanned and Essa shook her head with a smile.

"Well now that that's handled, the queen has sent me to fetch you" Sif said. Essa looked at Sif with wide eyes, which Darcy noticed and instantly worried.

"Why? Did I do something wrong?"

Sif shook her head insistently "No, don't worry. She probably just wants to make sure you are taken cared of" Darcy let out breath and nodded.

"Yeah sure. Is it urgent or can we get some of that honey thing on the way? My insides are freezing" Darcy asked and Essa nodded after looking at Sif.

"Of course, the kitchens are close by" She gave Darcy a cheeky look "If you want something pretty to look at while I get it you can wait by the practice yard" She winked and hurried off up the stairs, her dress shaking off snow as she went.

"I'm not going to say no to watching fit guys work out, if that is what they do at a practice yard?" Darcy asked and followed Sif.

"Something like that, yes"

"Great" They walked in silence for a short while and Darcy kept glancing at Sif from the corner of her eye.

"What?" The warrior asked suddenly and Darcy almost jumped in surprise.

"Sorry, I just think that you are really great" Sif frowned and looked down at her, the warrior was really tall after all. "I saw what you did in Puente Antigo and I really admire you. You have that whole Xena warrior princess going on as well which is super cool and I am totally jealous of your outfits as well, nothing says femme fatal like a form fitting chest plate and chainmail" she took a breath "And it must be hard for you to yourself in this type of environment"

"What do you mean?" _Had Darcy been at the desert town when they traveled down to help Thor stop the destroyer?_ Sif lost her breath at that. How could she not have seen her? What if she had been killed by the destroyer? Sif felt another wave of anger rip through her triggered by Loki's behavior, he could have killed his fucking wife to be before he had even found her. Sif was called back to the presence by Darcy speaking.

"From what I have seen, only men fight, and the women dress in pretty dresses and do…whatever. You really are awesome for daring to be you" Darcy said with a smile and Sif didn't even know what to say. She wanted to tell Darcy how she had missed her, how amazing Sif knew she was for being who she was as well despite societal expectations…but instead she said this.

"I don't know who Xena is" Darcy smiled at her.

"I will show you, as soon as I get a TV set up in this place we can binge watch it together" again Sif had no idea what that any of that meant. The sound of metal hitting metal turned Darcy's attention forward. They stopped by the railing of a balcony with stairs leading down to a big square where men were fighting with swords and shooting arrows.

Sif turned around when she heard footsteps and saw Essa walking over to them with three cups of warm honey brew. Sif took one of them and completely missed the flirtatious look Essa threw her way, but Darcy didn't. Darcy took her cup and waggled her eyebrows at Essa who looked back her with an innocent look saying 'I don't know what you're talking about'.

They turned to look down at the yard again just as one of the men fighting with swords fell to the ground with a shout and soon had his opponents sword at his throat, maybe a little to violently. The man on the ground muttered out his surrender angrily and stomped off. Darcy watched the black haired guy that was left…he looked familiar. She took a big gulp of her drink and enjoyed the warm and cozy feeling that followed. That continued until the black haired man looked up.

"Isn't he supposed to be locked up or something?" Darcy asked as she met Loki's green steel eyes. The women on either side of her glanced at each other before Essa answered.

"The allfather is contemplating a suitable punishment for him, until then he is confided to his rooms…other than when he needs fresh air. And this way the soldiers get to have a go at him" She added the last part reluctantly, she wasn't supposed to care for the prince in front of this Darcy.

"Huh" Darcy said and narrowed her eyes down at the sarcastic half bow Loki did before turning away to face another opponent. Darcy didn't like the feel of this. This was just what Fury and Natasha had talked about, him evading punishment in Asgard just because daddy king got sentimental or just simply didn't care about earth enough to punish him for destroying a part of it. Maybe she needed to stay to see the punishment carried out? Just to be on the safe side. She would have to talk to Thor.

The next man jumped into an attack surprisingly quickly and it looked like he was actually able to get in a hit until Loki effortlessly parried the blow. His fighting style look almost lazy, it was sliding around the enemy like a snake parrying the blows effortlessly to almost mock them. But when he finally hit back it was with a huge force, and the man opposite him flinched back noticeably. Loki kept landing hit after hit, forcing the man to walk backwards several steps until he finally maneuvered the other man's sword out of his hand and pressed his sword against his throat.

The man spat out his surrender and Loki walked away from him, looking up at the balcony to see Darcy's astonished look. He smiled smugly up at her.

"We should go" Sif said and nudged Darcy's elbow which made the woman snap out of the haze she had come into while watching the fight. Darcy turned and walked after Sif, not noticing how Essa stayed by the railing.

As Darcy walked away Loki caught Essa's gaze, she was conflicted about him. He had deceived Asgard, he had brought the chitauri to earth and out of their trap in the void and she was angry and disappointed in him…But she still remembered the toll Darcy's loss had taken on him, and she remembered the man he had been before, and due to the love she had held for the man he had been she did this, despite being explicitly told to not notify him of the happening...

Loki's eyes zoomed in on the movement of Essa's lips, it was quick and even if someone else had looked they wouldn't have been able to interpret the movement of her lips before she quickly turned and walked away. But seeing as it had been on the forefront of Loki's thoughts for some time now, he understood it instantly.

' _Darcy is meeting the queen'_

And he understood the implications of those words better than anyone, he nearly dropped his sword in complete shock as the words finally hit home. _Was this really happening…?_

* * *

 

Darcy walked into a an oval room with a pool in the middle of the room, she looked up to see a round window covered almost entirely by snow shining down a faint light over the room. It was cozy and mysterious. Candles were lit and standing on random places around the room and in candle holders attached to the walls, there were thick curtains hanging over what looked like a divan on the other side of the fountain, but no one was in the room and Darcy turned to look at the closed door.

Maybe she was supposed to wait for the queen to get here? She walked over to the fountain and looked down into the water. She frowned when she couldn't see the bottom of the pool, normally you could see the tiles at the bottom of these things…or was it just so deep that you couldn't see it? Darcy put her finger in the water, it wasn't warm or cold. She ran her finger over the surface and watched as the ripples formed after it. She was watching the ripples and studying the patterns they made when it suddenly felt like lightning went through her head and she cried out in shock and pain before her vision clouded and turned black.

Hands came out to grip Darcy's shoulders to steady her unconscious body, before gently lowering her down onto the wide edge of the pool. The queen of Asgard looked down on her and sighed as she stroked back a lock of hair from her face.

"I do hope I'm right. But if I am not, I can only beg your forgiveness my child" She sighed again before lowering a silver cup into the water and then bringing it up over Darcy's face. She put her other arm under Darcy's spine to bring her up to lean back against her. When she was sitting Frigga brought the cup to Darcy's unresponsive lips.

"Drink" Frigga whispered in her ear and Darcy, who was still unconscious but under a spell, opened her mouth and drank the water. When she was done Frigga whispered in her ear again "You did well, sleep now" Frigga picked her up and walked over to the couch and laid her down gently and put a fur over her.

"I do hope you escape this with minimal pain my child, yggdrasil knows you don't deserve it" She sighed before rising to tell Sif that she should notify the king. There was much to be done, and she had to see Thor's Jane as well. She hoped that her older son would have the peaceful and smooth relationship that his brother never had, but one could only hope.

_Hope was all they had in the end._


	19. 19

_At the temple there is a poem called "Loss" carved into the stone._

_It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out._

_You cannot read loss, only feel it_

_-Arthur Golden_

_Asgard, years before._

When Darcy walked to her chamber late that night she still had a silly grin on her face that had been there all through the feast, when she had sat next to Loki, holding his hand under the table and being congratulated on their engagement.

She had retired early from the feast despite truly enjoying it and wishing she could have been that happy forever, but her headache had returned and both Loki and her father thought it would be better for her to go to bed and try to sleep to make it go away. Maybe it was due to the stress of the announcement? But it couldn't be, it had gone on longer than that.

As she brushed her hair out and removed her dress she thought back to her husband to be and the promise he had made before she left.

_Loki leaned over to whisper in Darcy's ear, not that he needed to, the hall was so loud no one would have heard them if he had just lowered his voice. But he liked the way she shivered when he breathed out by her ear._

_"_ _I'll come to your room later tonight when the feast is all done, if you wish me to" Darcy smiled but narrowed her eyes at him and answered with a lowered voice._

_"_ _And what do you think we would do if you did?" Loki smirked mischievously. Despite Darcy having found her sexuality through Loki's many ministrations in her bedroom, and even in the library, she was still a virgin. And was determined to stay such until the wedding night, to Loki's huge sexual frustration, despite Darcy handling him very well…she was a natural._

_"_ _Why leave you an engagement gift of course, I would never do anything inappropriate" He said and sipped his mead innocently. Darcy snorted and he smiled into his cup._

_"_ _Really? And what would that be?"_

_"_ _It's a surprise" He smiled and Darcy bit her lip._

_"_ _Alright then" They joined hands under the table and Loki slipped into conversation with Thor and Darcy smiled over at Essa who sat further down the table with her family, her best friend smiled back briefly before resuming conversation with a handsome dark haired man next to her, and Darcy smiled with a shake of her head before drinking her wine._

_Everything was just as usual, except now she was going to be a princess. She glanced over at Loki but Agnes called her name so she looked over at her aunt. Loki squeezed her hand gently and she pressed back._

When Darcy put her head against her pillow she was asleep within minutes, but her dreams were far from safe and sound. She saw herself laying in her dark room, shadows of the summer rain on her window covering the illuminated surfaces of the room, casting frightful shadows on the walls and the bed.

But the shadows started to move. The shadows on the walls sunk down on the floor until the floor was completely black despite the bed being covered by a faint light. The black mass of shadows on the floor started to rise up and tentacle like things moved up the bed, pulling down the cover. Darcy could feel herself turn cold just as the shadows pulled down the cover…but she was still asleep, this was a dream. She saw the shadows wrap around her legs and stretch up to the rest of my body. The tentacles were icy cold and when Darcy tried to shake her leg she couldn't move, the image of herself on the bed didn't move either and she watched in horror as a tentacle wrapped around her throat and she felt the icy hold cut of her air way.

She wanted to scream, but she had no air, she wanted to reach for the tentacles to throw them off her but she couldn't move. _It is just a dream_! She gasped in shock as the tentacle wrapped around her throat even tighter and her eyes were wide in panic. Now the image of herself on the bed started to make choking sounds, gasping for air, and Darcy had a feeling this was closer to reality than dreams, and that she was about to die.

* * *

In the royal chamber a glass shattered to the ground and the water inside it covered the floor under the queen. Odin looked over at his wife, standing in her golden robe just getting ready for bed, she had a horrified expression on her face and he quickly moved over to her and cupped her face to bring her back to reality.

"Frigga, what do you see? Come back, dear" She suddenly gasped for air and her eyes focused on his face.

"She's dying! They have her!"

* * *

Her body was cold, and the image of herself on the bed was no longer moving, the chill of the tentacles had spread all over her body and her vision was covered by black spots and soon she wouldn't see anything…she could no longer gasp for air, but she didn't hurt anymore, she didn't need to fight it. It didn't hurt anymore after all…but she wished she didn't have to die.

Her world was dark before she knew it, and her spirit had nearly left her body until an almighty boom sounded and her chest started to burn fiercely and she wanted to scream in pain.

Darcy's body jerked back to life and her eyes opened dramatically as she started to cough and gasp for air. She flinched back in fright when she felt hands on her arms.

"Darcy it's me! It's Frigga, hush child, you're safe for now, just breath" Darcy grabbed the queens arms and stared around the room wide eyed. Her cover was on the floor, just as it had been in her dream and she looked around the room for shadows but the whole room was lit, probably by the queen's magic. Her whole body trembled and before she knew it she was crying loudly and holding onto Frigga as if she was the only thing keeping her from death.

"They are gone" Frigga said and Darcy stared at her, how had she known?

"What were they? What happened?" Darcy gasped and Frigga's face turned grim.

"They are chitauri spirits, probably the one's from the bodies that are currently being destroyed" Frigga had shouted the order to her husband just before she had teleported to Darcy's rooms. They needed to be destroyed to lose their trail temporarily.

"But how?" Darcy asked and Frigga got up and walked over to the wardrobe and spoke as she tore out clothing for Darcy to wear.

"They are dark spirits and they reached you through your dreams" She looked at Darcy and it was clear that the queen was stressed but tried not to show it. "Have you been having headaches?"

"Yes-"

"How long, it's very important Darcy"

"For maybe a month or a little more" The queens eyes closed with a pained sigh and she turned back to the wardrobe and pulled out a random white summer dress and a black cloak to wear over it.

"Darcy put these on!" The queen commanded and Darcy, despite being afraid and shocked started to do as she said. She heard the queen mumble in a language she didn't understand but it sounded like chanting.

When Darcy was almost done putting on her dress the queen turned to her. "What do they want with me?" Darcy asked and Frigga shook her head.

"I do not know…but they have you in their sight now and are not likely to let you go, for whatever purpose they need you. I saw a glimpse of them at midsummer, but I didn't know what it meant" She locked her eyes on Darcy's wide blue ones "Has Loki told you anything about my sight?"

"No"

"I can see the future, bits and pieces and I can see beyond realms. I see them after you, for what purpose I do not know but they are after you"

Darcy wanted to scream or cry even more or run away but she just felt numb at the words "What should I do? If that is the future…" She felt tears slip down her face and Frigga reached for her face and gently caressed them away before picking up her cloak and taking her hand.

"It is not the future yet, we have yet choices that can change it…but I need you to trust me Darcy, this will not be something you wish to hear but you must do it, do you trust me?"

Darcy gripped the queens hand hard and met the ancient blue eyes of the woman who was to be her mother in law. Had Loki not told her to trust his mother, she was the one person Loki had complete trust in in the entire realm, and she trusted Loki.

"I do"

…

When the door to Lady Darcy's quarters opened suddenly and the queen hurried out with the teary looking lady behind her, the warning bells in Pia's head went off. She slipped out of the shadows to follow them and by the looks of it she was leading the lady out of the palace.

She ran as fast as her long lanky legs could carry her to the prince's room. She was just about to knock when the heavy oak door swung open, she didn't have time to stop completely without hitting her face in the door so she stumbled over her feet and slid on the marble floor past the door.

"Your highness!" Pia called from the floor and Loki raised an eyebrow at the odd entrance. She may be quirky but his little spy did her job well.

"I don't have time to chat" He drawled and closed the door behind him, the box in his pocket reminded him that he had kept Darcy waiting long enough.

"The queen led the lady from her rooms just moments ago!" Pia said and then gasped for air. Loki frowned.

"What?"

"The queen led Darcy from her room, both looking rather grim an' such" Pia said and Loki's frown deepened.

"Where?"

"I don't know, looks like away from the palace"

Without understanding the reason for his mother pulling Darcy from her room Loki ran towards the shortcut leading out of the castle. Just as he slipped past some windows down the corridor he saw two figures, probably on horses, moving fast on the bridge towards the observatory.

* * *

Darcy climbed of her horse and hurried after the queen into the observatory, but her legs felt like stone. The shock of the dream, or it hadn't really been a dream because she had nearly died. She watched as the queen walked over to Heimdall and spoke to him quickly, yet again in a language she didn't understand.

But the steel cold feeling of dread spread through her when she realized why they were in the observatory…they were sending her away.

"Don't send me away" Darcy pleaded in a weak voice and both the gatekeeper and the queen turned to her, the queen with a sad look on her face. She walked forward and took Darcy's hands.

"Believe me I don't want to, but if you stay here they will find you again. You will be protected in Midgard, their magical signatures are so different than ours so you will be able to hide completely there, and by sealing off your psyche they won't find a single trace of you-"

"So seal off my psyche here!"

"It doesn't work that way Darcy, you are tied to Asgard, and Asgard to you. I'm afraid even more so now after the announcement ceremony" Darcy was about to protest when she remembered the rune Odin had drawn himself in her palm. The rune of Asgard. "We have to hide you're magical signature, and we can't do that completely if you remain…it is for your own safety"

Darcy angrily wiped away the tears spilling down her cheeks. She met Heimdall's golden gaze and he seemed sorry for her, after looking at her with pity for a moment he turned his sword and Darcy watched as time and space shifted to open the bifrost. The wind from the portal made her hair billow slightly. Frigga took her hand.

"Will I ever come home?" Darcy asked in a small voice but Frigga's face told nothing, just as her words did.

"You will be home when you are safe, I promise you" Frigga drew her closer to the portal but Darcy suddenly stopped.

"Loki!" she looked at Frigga in panic "I can't leave him, not like this-"

"Darcy!" The familiar sound made Darcy whip around and look back at Loki jumping off his horse to run for her.

"What in hel is happening?" Loki bellowed and Darcy jumped into his arms and cried. Frigga watched her son with sadness and he stared back at her defiantly with his weeping love in his arms.

"There was an attempt on Darcy's life tonight" Frigga said and Loki's eyes widened "She needs to flee Asgard"

"No! I will protect her-"

"Loki I had a vision!" Frigga called and Darcy could feel Loki tense up even more "she has only one chance to escape darkness, it is death or this, for how long I don't know. Chitarui spirits found her for Thanos. And every second we waste here they grow closer to finding her again and I need my energy to seal off her psyche, I can't hold them off much longer"

Darcy looked up at Loki with tear filled eyes and Loki stared down at her "I'll go with you"

"Loki" Darcy sobbed but both were too busy with each other to see Frigga's eyes widen in fear of what her son said.

"I can't hide you, my son, your magic is all too obvious-"

"I don't care!" Loki bellowed and Frigga stepped forward.

"Do you care about her life? You Heard about the death of the other healer examining the corpses, would you bring that on her?" Loki was about to answer when Darcy cupped his face and pulled his lips down to hers in a kiss. Her face was wet from tears and he was desperate to hold her to him like this for the rest of her life if it meant keeping her safe…but apparently it didn't.

"They need you here, stay and take care of the people. Tell my father I love him-"

"You're not leaving" Loki said with shaking his head and Darcy smiled sadly. "No"

"This is the only way right now" Frigga said quietly from the side and Darcy bit her lip so she wouldn't cry again.

"I love you, so much" Darcy said and pressed a kiss to his lips, but when she made to pull away he held her against her.

"Mother you can't!" Loki bellowed and Frigga felt the sheer agony behind his words. She reached out and touched his arms and Loki felt his body grow slack and he fell to his knees in front of Darcy, not being able to hold his own body up. Darcy followed him down to the floor holding him tightly to her, her body shaking from crying. Frigga looked down at her son.

"I'm doing this to keep the both of you safe." She said but she could see by the angry look on his face he didn't believe her. "Trust me Loki"

Frigga grabbed Darcy's arm and half led and half dragged her toward the portal. Darcy looked back at her betrothed with tears now flowing freely over her face.

"Wait!" Loki screamed but Frigga didn't listen. Darcy stood on the edge of the portal and Frigga put her hands on the girl's temples.

"Do you trust me Darcy" Frigga asked again and Darcy looked over her shoulder to see Loki desperately trying to move towards them.

"Don't let him be alone" Darcy said and Frigga nodded "I'm scared"

"It's natural to be scared. But this will keep you safe"

"Will I remember?" Darcy asked and Frigga paused, and through that pause Darcy had her answer.

"Darcy!" She closed her eyes at Loki's scream and she felt Frigga's hands warm against her temples until a white light took over her mind.

When Frigga was done she put her arms on Darcy's shoulders, the girl's eyes were closed, and with a gentle push. She disappeared into the bifrost, being led away by Heimdall to her new life.

When she looked back at her son he was completely silent, sitting on the floor of the observatory staring at the spot where Darcy had disappeared. She lifted the spell from him so he could move…but he remained still.

He didn't need the spell to feel numb, his life had just fallen through his fingers…he didn't feel anything other than numb, he wanted to scream, he wanted to feel anger but found nothing. He didn't feel anything anymore.

* * *

Darcy Lewis, twenty three years old, only child of Diana and Richard Lewis, originally from California, but recently moved to New York, woke up in her apartment to the sound of cars driving past and honking at each other, just a typical morning. Until she looked down at what she was wearing.

"What the hell?" She frowned down and the long white dress and black cloak she was wearing. What had she been up to last night? Sure, she had been drinking but she ought to have remembered this happening right? She didn't have time to speculate when she saw the clock on her nightstand.

"Shit I'm late!" Darcy jumped out of bed and ran to get ready, tearing off the long dress on the way. It was just so typical, she couldn't be late for her first day at university, her mom would never shut up about it if she were. Where the hell was her ipod!? Her apartment, just like her life, was a mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The way the chitauri work (in this ficton and) is that when they die, their spirit leaves their body and inserts themselves into the minds of individuals/animals close to their remains. This is so that they can possess and kill even after they are dead, because they are nasty devils.


	20. 20

_'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me_

_And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be_

_Thinking maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet_

_And you'll see me waiting for you on the corner of the street_

_So I'm not moving, I'm not moving_

_-The man who can't be moved_

 

It felt like she was swimming, the water was so warm and she felt so relaxed it was insane. She was laying in the water looking up at the bright white sky above, but the sky looked surprisingly close. She reached out her hand on impulse and touched the white sky just an arm's length away, she brought it back and watched the ripples for on the white water surface. Until a nose appeared from the water, followed by a face, her face. Her black hair was spread over her naked shoulders in the water and her blue eyes met the other hers, one of them surprised, the other not so much.

They were identical, but there seemed to be a huge difference between them but Darcy couldn't put her finger on what it was. She moved her hand up to the other her to see if it was just a mirror, but the other her just looked at her hand for a moment with a quizzical look before reaching out with her own and taking her hand.

Just like when ripples form in the water from different disturbances and travel over the surface, the touch from the other her sent a wave of what felt like raw energy through her. It stayed in her chest and the static grew from a little uncomfortable to mind numbingly painful, but when she opened her mouth to scream no sound came. Instead it felt like the white water drowned her, she could breathe but she was drowning in it still. And soon she was vanished under the surface in a blinding white light.

* * *

 

Darcy groaned after opening her eyes and quickly closing them again. It hurt to see.

"Darcy? It appears like you fainted when meeting the queen, how are you feeling?" Essa asked warily. The queen had said that there were no guarantees for how Darcy would wake up, the queen herself had collapsed after performing the counter spell after draining so much energy.

Darcy groaned again opened her eyes. It was much harder than a bed, and when she looked around she concluded that she was in the healing ward…

"Essa…" Essa met Darcy's wide eyed gaze with a careful smile as the woman sat up. "Oh gods it's really you!" Darcy cried out and jumped of the soulforge to wrap her arms around Essa.

"Darcy are you…" Essa looked at her and Darcy nodded her head with a wide smile.

"It's me!" The next words were incomprehensible as the two women just screamed in both joy and shock and Essa cried as she jumped around and hugged her best friend.

"I missed you so much!" Essa said and Darcy gently dried the fresh tears from the blonde's face and kissed her cheek.

"How long has it been?" Darcy asked and quickly dried her own tears as well with her fingers.

"Almost six years" Darcy gaped in shock. She had lost six years? How much had changed? Her cousins will have grown so much by now-

"My father, is he in the palace?" Darcy asked still reeling from the shock. She remembered meeting him, his hair was turning grey, and it had been dark brown when she had last seen him, how much her absence had changed him…

"I don't know-" Essa was cut off when Darcy suddenly grabbed her arm as if she might faint. Her blue eyes wide and pink lips opened in a gasp.

"Loki" Essa almost didn't hear the whispered name but she immediately understood what was going to happen when Darcy rushed out of the room. Essa walked out of the healing ward to find Eddard with a smile on her lips, feeling happier than she had been in a long while.

* * *

Loki leaned against one of the pillars at the bottom of the stairs leading to the throne, completely bored out of his mind by his brother's choice of companion. On earth Foster had been tolerable, despite her annoying know-it-all qualities and obvious hatred for him, but here on Asgard, simpering in front of his- Thor's parents and casting doe eyed looks at Thor she was intolerable. She hadn't even asked for Darcy yet, she was too busy being modest in front of the king and queen to care about anything else. He couldn't speak with his moth- Frigga until she left, which made her presence here even more of a nuisance. Frigga was sitting down on a chaise next to the throne, placed there so that she wouldn't waste her energy trying to stand. She was still pale and tired from performing Darcy's counter spell eleven hours earlier, and despite her effort they had no idea how it turned out as Darcy was still asleep.

He was bitter, he knew it, he felt it. His skin was crawling by just the sight of Thor and his human girl ridiculously infatuated with each other, they had it so easy. Foster hadn't been targeted by alien spirits and almost died, she hadn't lost her memory. And Thor didn't have to suffer through watching the woman he loved being taken from him without knowing if he would ever see her again, and nor would he, the golden boy would be spared from everything.

The chatter on the throne was interrupted by the doors opening and the occupants in the room looked to see who was entering. He wasn't surprised to see that Darcy ran in, she must have heard that Jane and Thor were back and wanted to see her friend as soon as she had woken up, and probably to find out what had happened to her friends on earth, she was too compassionate not to. She seemed to pause as she scanned the throne room, before her eyes suddenly landed on him and the amazing blue widened.

And then she was running towards him.

…

_"_ _Good morning, Lady Darcy"_

_"_ _Good morning, your highness. Do you need my assistance?"_

_"_ _I require someone to be responsible for my care if I should get injured more during battle, you don't annoy me with mindless chatter as much as the others, which makes you appropriate for the task"_

_"…_ _Me? Would you not prefer someone with more experience-"_

_"_ _I have seen you work, you will do. Unless you refuse?"_

_"_ _I will gladly take care of you should you come to harm. Thank you, your highness"_

_"…_ _It's no matter. Don't make me regret it"_

_"_ _I promise I won't"_

When her blue eyes met his crystal green it felt like something slid into place inside her, as if the world finally made sense, as if a piece of her had been put back in and she could function properly again. That feeling alone made her run even faster and she could feel her eyes burning with unshed tears.

She saw the incredulous look on his face as she ran towards him, and then a slow realization and shock as she got closer. He stepped away from the guards surrounding him and quickly walked towards her.

She threw her arms around his neck and he took a step back from the force of her slamming into him, but he couldn't care about that. He was experiencing the same feeling as Darcy had had only seconds earlier, that his world was finally set to rights. His arms were awkwardly trapped between them in their shackles and he pulled them up to pull over her head so he could hold her. Just as soon as his arms were over her head she threw herself against him again, this time with her hands on his neck and cheeks and her lips against his, and he quickly pulled his arms down to press her against him as if to hold her there forever.

If the reunited lovers had not been so wrapped up in each other they would have heard the gasp that Jane let out when Darcy had jumped into Loki. Jane opened her mouth to call Darcy's name to make her snap out of whatever madness this was, maybe she was drugged by Loki? Who knew what kinds of things he had access to on Asgard. But before she could say anything Thor put a hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him.

"Not now Jane" He said quietly and she gaped at him.

"What! Don't you see what's happening?" Jane hissed and Thor glanced over at his brother and Darcy, kissing passionately.

"I do. And I will explain later, but for now, everything is just as it should be"

When they pulled back to breath Loki gently wiped off the tears from Darcy's cheeks, he felt how his own eyes were watery. They put their foreheads against each other's.

"I thought I would never see you again" Darcy breathed and Loki kissed her nose and held her tighter. Her words felt too small and insignificant to really convey what she was feeling, her body was fluttering all over and no words could ever describe the incredible bliss she felt.

"You're here, you are finally here" Loki murmured completely lost in the trance of realizing his love was back. He brought his lips down on hers again and relished the feeling of her sweet kiss. Her lips were wet from her tears which made it messy but none of them could really bring themselves to care, not when they had been robbed of kissing for so long

"I love you so much" Darcy whispered against his lips before she kissed him again. His shackled hands went up to tangle themselves in her hair and he grasped her silky locks, relieved to finally being able to do so again after so long.

"And I love you too" they stopped kissing for a moment to just look at each other, and tears fell from Darcy's eyes and were pooling in his.

"Oh darling, what have you done?" her words were shaky and he finally felt a tear fall at her question. He said nothing, but pulled her to her and buried his face in her hair as her arms wrapped around him. He would deal with any form of consequence later, but right now he had her, and the rest of the world could go to hel. She was the only thing that mattered.

* * *

That night Frigga approached her husband staring over the palace from their balcony. She pulled her gold robe around her tighter before stepping out into the cold and wrapping her arms around Odin' still armored body. He placed one of his hands on hers and she felt him sigh.

"What now?" he asked and she put her chin on his shoulder to whisper in his ear.

"Now we wait" silence stretched out between them. They had lived with each other long enough to have comfortable silences, but Frigga wanted to speak about Loki's punishment, and Odin wanted to avoid it, and they both knew it so they said nothing for a while until Frigga broke the silence by whispering in his ear again.

"You were kind to him, and although he may not recognize it now he will soon. The time with Darcy is what will get him through what's to come, and you are a good man for granting it to him" Odin sighed again and Frigga kissed his cheek gently.

"Do you think she will still love him?" Odin asked and Frigga was silent as she thought.

"She truly loves him, and she was always more tolerating than others" Frigga said quietly and Odin scoffed slightly in amusement.

"That sounds appropriate" He remembered a conversation with Tyr and Eddard about the Nordenstierna's pet bilgesnipes, how they found the hideous creatures to be enjoyable pets was beyond him.

"How long will his punishment last-"

" _Frigga_ "

" _Husband_ "

"I will not discuss this with you" His tone was one she knew well, and she knew that the best thing she could do was to walk away and not speak to him for a while, she could usually guilt him into speaking to her, although this time might be different. But she still let her arms fall from him despite his hand holding onto hers.

"He is your son" Frigga said to his back "Consider that, if nothing else in your decision" he let her hand drop from his and she walked away. He remained on the balcony, watching the stars. His father had told him on many occasions that the price of being a just ruler would not yield happiness for all, and most often not for himself. He had felt the truth of that many times, but it had never been as heartfelt as it was now.

* * *

Jane tried not to be distracted by the amazing interior of Thor's room, especially the boat formed bed, and tried to focus on what the hell was going on with Darcy and Loki and why Thor had been keeping the mystery to himself all day while trying to distract her with Asgard and his friends.

"Okay, spit it out! What the hell is going on?" Jane asked and Thor sighed before gesturing towards two chairs next to the fire.

"We should sit down for this" He brought one of the chairs closer together and they sat down.

"This is not going to be easy for you to understand Jane, but I beg you to have an open mind about this" He said and she nodded and he turned to look at the fire.

"It might be hard for you to imagine, but almost six years ago Loki was engaged to be married to one of the ladies here at Asgard-"

"And Darcy reminds him of this lady? What happened to her, did she die?" Thor took her hands and gave her a look and she smiled sheepishly "Sorry, continue"

"They were engaged, and during the time they courted Loki was incredibly happy, I had never seen him like that before, so content and calm when he was with her." Thor snorted in amusement "Nor have I ever seen him as grouchy and obnoxious when she was away from him, she visited her childhood home for a week and I thought Loki might explode in her absence" Thor turned serious again "We had fought off the chitauri and Loki had banished them into the void a couple of months before they started courting, and somehow the spirits of the chitauri bodies that she was studying, she was a healer you see, they got in her head. They tried to kill her, they also managed to kill one of the others studying the bodies shortly after her."

"What happened?" Jane asked her eyes wide open, she looked like a child hearing their first ghost story.

"Mother saved her, but it was close, and the only way to save her was to hide her from the spirits chasing her. So she had to leave" Thor thought back to the moment he had been called to the observatory in the middle of the night to calm his brother who was well on his way to blow up the observatory and nearly kill Heimdall in greif. "Loki was devastated"

"When does Darcy come into this?" Jane asked warily, even though she had an inkling of how things had played out although her skeptical brain needed him to say it out loud for her to believe it.

"Jane, Darcy was there since the beginning. Loki's fiancé, although we didn't know it at the time, had been sent to Midgard…Do you see?"

Jane was quiet for a moment "Darcy is Asgardian?" Thor nodded but Jane shook her head again "That doesn't make any sense, she wasn't like you, she knew everything about earth. She has parents on earth"

"My mother's magic is strong, and the energy she used to create the Darcy that you know had her drained for nearly a year afterwards. But Darcy is Asgardian"

"What about her parents?" Jane asked with a frown, she remembered talking about Darcy's childhood, Diana was a doctor and Richard was a laywer and they lived in California…but now that she thought about it she had never met them, but Darcy hadn't met Jane's parents either.

"They don't exist." Thor saw how Jane's face fell at that and how she seemed to lose herself in thought. "Jane, don't think Darcy has lied to you. The Darcy that you knew is the same as the Darcy I knew before she left, although my Darcy was more restrained and perhaps more discreet than yours. She is still your friend, and she will remember you"

Jane's eyes started to tear up "I want to see her" She whispered and Thor got down on his knees in front of her chair and cupped her face in his hands.

"You will see her. But right now she needs time, she has just woken up to herself again…and I reckon she and my brother have some catching up to do"

Jane let out a brief laugh and frowned adorably "Gross"

Thor smiled widely "Indeed"


	21. 21

_You're dripping like a saturated sunrise_   
_You're spilling like an overflowing sink_   
_You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece_   
_And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink_

_Everything is blue_  
His pills, his hands, his jeans  
And now I'm covered in the colors  
Pulled apart at the seams

_-Colors_

Loki tried not to worry about when Odin's guards would come and take him away, he wanted to forget about the rest of the world and just enjoy the feeling of Darcy's body on his. When they got to his rooms from the throne room they had dropped down on the bed immediately, alternating between kissing and crying and exchanging endearments mixed with desperate embraces. They hadn't really spoken about anything yet, and he was afraid of what she might do if he was forced to tell her about…well largely everything. Why he had done what he did, and what he was…

Darcy suddenly twitched as he accidentally pulled her hair a bit too hard, he had been running his hand through it without really realizing it. she opened her eyes in confusion and he smiled down at her.

"I didn't realize you were asleep" She rubbed her eyes with her hands, leaving her entire weight on his body, though it didn't bother him. What did _bother_ him was the sight of her corseted breasts pushed against his chest and the weight of them and how easy it would be to touch them now that he didn't have any shackles. But he wouldn't do anything until she knew…

"Me neither" She looked around the room and stopped at the window "It's dark outside"

"Yes"

They were quiet for a while after that and Loki went back to stroking her hair. But his hand immediately stopped when she spoke again.

"You let the frost giants into Asgard at Thor's coronation. Why?" She lifted her head from his chest and looked at him and he felt his mouth dry up in what could only be fear.

"I was…different after you left" He started and she sat up next to him and he took her que and leaned against the headboard next to her. "I was angry. I hated everyone for a long while, and I grew vengeful and bitter. It was easy to be angry at Thor for being happy and being the one everyone loved, he always forgave me for it. And I hated that everything went on like nothing had changed after you left" He snorted "Sure Odin and Frigga investigated the chitauri for signs of an attack, but nothing changed, nothing was different for anyone but me. It was as if everybody's reaction to my world being destroyed was to play it off as if nothing had happened…" He looked at her and saw that she had tears in her eyes and he reached out and took her hand and looked down on it, not being able to look her in the eyes as he said it "That's why I did it. It was never my intention to let them take the tesseract, I wanted to cause some trauma, I wanted everyone else to feel some of what I felt. That their world wasn't the same, that they weren't safe. And I don't know if it really was in my plan to take the throne or get Thor banished…but I admit that I was pleased about it at the time… because I got what I wanted in a way"

Darcy wiped off the tears on her cheeks and then leaned over to give Loki a gentle kiss which he accepted with a shuddering sigh of both relief and anticipation.

"And earth?" She asked and he rubbed a hand over his face.

"I don't know. That was never my intention. I fell off the bridge because I wanted to die" He heard her gasp a little at that and hold his hand harder. "When they found me I was desperate for death…but they have a way of feeding the darkest wishes you have, and suddenly I wanted to live enough to take earth away from my brother, make yet another world feel what I felt…and you know the rest"

She was quiet for a while and when he finally looked at her she gave him a little smile. "And then you found me"

He smiled at that "I think you were the one who found me" She smiled at that and he felt a lump form in his throat, making it hard for the words to come out.

"You have to believe me when I say I would never hurt you Darcy, please believe that despite all I have done" She put her forehead against his and crawled closer into his arms and he held her to him greedily.

"I do believe that. It's all a bit much right now though. It feels like I was in the observatory just yesterday, afraid of being alone and afraid of living in another world without you. And then I have a completely other life in my head as well with so many different experiences and memories leading up to just this morning." She shook her head "It's going to take some getting used to"

Loki couldn't help but laugh a little at that and she looked up at him in surprise. "I'm sorry it's just that your accent alternates between Asgardian and Midgardian sometimes and it's just funny to listen to" He smiled and she shook her head with a smile.

"I do not"

"You do"

"I don't hear it" she frowned. When she started to look outside the window and biting her lip, her mind somewhere far away, he knew something was wrong.

"It's just an accent, and you will get used to her memories eventually. Everything will be back to normal before you know it" He kissed her hair. Both of them knew that it would definitely not be the same, Loki was going to be punished for only Odin knows how long, and what would happen to them in the meantime? It was cruel to finally be reunited only to be torn apart soon afterwards.

"I feel like I should tell you something, since you have been so open with me" he felt the lump in his throat grow at her words, he had still not told her the most important thing. She looked at him with those expressive eyes telling the world exactly what was in her mind.

"I am not a virgin anymore" She said and searched his face for any kind of resentment but he was just blank and she started to ramble in panic. "I know out of wedlock relations aren't as frowned upon as they used to be, but I expect it still is for the royal family. I swear I wouldn't have done it if I had been aware of you at the time, I swear!"

"Darcy" Loki sighed and she bit her lip in anticipation "I really don't care about that. I have you, what you have done before me is of absolutely no consequence to me" Darcy let out a breath and threw her arms around his neck.

"But I am only slightly annoyed that I wasn't the one to take your virginity" Darcy leaned her head back with a laugh and looked at him.

"Really?"

"Just a tiny bit" She laughed and put her lips on his in a sweet kiss that he readily accepted. To his surprise Darcy swung her other leg over his waist so she was straddling him, he had already decided to let her make the decisions concerning their intimacy, but it was impossible to keep his hands away when she pressed herself down on the bulge between them and parted her legs more. He put his hands on her bottom and pulled her closer and pressed the bulge against her covered center and she moaned sweetly and let her hands trail over his chest until she found his jacket and started to push it off. It was going to get caught and be impossible to get off as he was trapped against the headboard, so reached out and pressed the top of her body closer to his and then rolled them over.

He threw his jacket off and then leaned down to cover his lover and kisser her slightly swollen lips even more, when he did he felt her thighs move up to his waist and how his bulge was pressing down even harder on her center. She made him grind against her by locking her legs around him and moving them and then moaned against his lips. A moan which made him acutely aware of how the point of no return was approaching and he still hadn't been entirely truthful with her.

"Darcy wait!" He panted and leaned the top of his body off of her, but the god damn need in him made his reaction to remove his pants covered aching cock from her much slower. She sat up and looked at him in confusion.

"Did I do something wrong?" her quiet question made him feel like a fool.

"No, nothing at all I promise. I can't let this go any further with you unable to make a decision based on all the facts" He said in a pained voice and Darcy sat there observing his haunted expression.

"Is this about you being a frost giant?" His eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he looked back at her.

"You knew" He breathed and she nodded. He opened his mouth to ask how but then clenched his jaw down in realization. " _Thor_ " Darcy nodded and gently covered his hand with her own. Her moves were slow, as if any sudden movement would scare him away.

"Thor told Jane, and she told me. I guess the avengers know about it too. But Loki none of them cares about you being a frost giant, to them you're just another alien who happens to be the adopted brother of another alien. We have no reference for frost giant, other than smurfs! I'm basing it on that since Thor says they are blue" The smile she made was meant to alleviate the tension he felt but her words hit the wrong mark.

" _We?_ … _They_ don't have an idea of what frost giants are, but you do. You grew up with the stories, the fear all parents manipulate into their children, that if they don't behave then frost giants will come and take them. You know what this means" he sat there and watched her think until her gaze met his.

"It means that any children we have…could be frost giants, or half"

"It means that they would never take the throne"

"That doesn't matter-"

"They would be outcasts, their existence frowned upon by all of Asgard!"

"Then we don't have to stay here!" He stared at her in confusion. Asgard wasn't his home, nor was Jotunheim, but he had grown up here and lived for thousands of years here, where could they possibly go?

"We can go back to earth, to them we are all just aliens and they don't have a special prejudice against frost giants-"

"Do you really believe I would go free on earth? That they would leave me be to have children with you?" his voice was hard and his tone so disapproving that Darcy's temper flared up.

"They might if you volunteer to help them! You were doing well before we fled, you helped shield and Tony and they actually started to relax around you because you cooperated-"

"I didn't do it to help! I did it to get to you!" Loki stood up from the bed and after pacing angrily a couple of times he looked back at Darcy and was surprised by the dark expression on her face.

"You did it to get to me? Not because you regretted killing hundreds of people and hurting hundreds more?"

After a pause he answered, realizing he needed to use his words carefully in this situation. "I did not kill them personally, the chitauri did, and I may have felt more regret if I had done it personally but now…I regret the invasion because I put you in harm's way, and the deaths that it brought that sadden you, I regret as well. I wish it had never happened, but at the same time it brought me to you…"

For the first time in the years he had known Darcy Nordenstierna, from both afar and intimately, he couldn't see what she was feeling. Her eyes were wide and fixed on him, her body was extremely still as if she were a statue, until she moved off the bed to stand next to it.

Her icy expression made him nervous and he felt a split second of relief when she finally spoke to break the spell, but her words gave him the opposite of relief.

"You see Loki, that you are a frost giant doesn't make you a monster. But the words you just spoke do, and they make me far more disgusted than blue skin and ice touch"

His mouth fell open to say something, anything, to make this better but when she walked towards the door he panicked and threw himself in front of the door instead.

"Darcy, no please!" He whined but she wouldn't meet his gaze but held it fixed on the door knob.

"Move" She growled, and she cursed herself for letting the lump in her throat show the sadness she felt. When Loki moved it wasn't to unblock her path but to slid down to his knees in front of her and desperately hold her. She swallowed down the held back tears hard as she looked down on his tall shaking figure on his knees with his black head pressed against the blue fabric on her stomach.

"Please don't go, I couldn't bear losing you again, this time it will kill me" His words were muffled against her dress but she heard them and a tear slid down her cheek. After holding the pose for some time, Darcy reached down and put a hand on his head and slid her fingers through his hair.

"I can't be your moral compass Loki. You need to realize where you stand" She wiped away some tears with her other hand. "You are different, I didn't really realize that when you said it before but…you're not the same man I left in the observatory. It's something we have to work on"

He let out a pitiful chuckle "Something tells me I will have an abundance of time to work on that alone in a dungeon or worse" He chuckled again but immediately stopped when Darcy turned his head upwards and gently pulled at his shoulders so that he would stand up.

"How long do you think we have?" Darcy asked and Loki shrugged.

"I would guess till the morning" he wanted to wipe away a tear that fell down her cheek but he didn't know how welcome he was to touch her at the moment.

"Then I don't want to waste it fighting" She looked up at him and took his hand "We will find a way" the sound that escaped his mouth was half a sob and sigh of relief and he let himself be pulled down to kiss her gently. When he leaned his forehead against hers he could see her think, that look had stayed with her in Midgard as well.

"Loki, can you show me your frost giant form?" He let out a sad sigh and his forehead rested heavier against hers in resignation. But he knew that he couldn't refuse her this, not after she had tolerated so much already.

"Only if you truly wish it" He whispered and she cupped his cheek with her hand and gently caressed it with her thumb.

"I do"

With a last long look into her eyes he straightened himself. The black tunic was long sleeved and high collared even though some skin was visible between the lacing at the collar, she wouldn't see much of it, but to him it was far too much. He closed his eyes as if to concentrate and then felt the skin he was in melt away and reveal what was beneath it. He could hear her exhale heavily and then opened his eyes, aware of how they would now be red.

Darcy looked into the red eyes of her lover. She hadn't known what to expect, but somehow it was a let down, she could still see Loki in those eyes, and the ridges on his cheeks and forehead looked almost like runes. It looked like tattoos, but the skin was the same shade as the tattoo and it was protruding more than the rest of the skin. Did he have more of them?

"Can you take your shirt off?" the question made him sigh but he did it all the same and she studied the ridges on his chest and abdomen. Sure the blue skin was eerie in a way but he was still handsome, the ridges even gave him an artful appearances.

"Can I touch you?" she was a healer so she knew what a frost giant touch did to the skin, and she wished to keep all her fingers. Loki just nodded and she put her fingers on the ridges on his chest. His skin was colder than usual but otherwise it felt almost the same, part from the ridges and a more hardened skin.

"This doesn't frighten me" She said and looked straight into his clear red eyes "You don't disgust me Loki"

"And I don't understand why not"

She smiled inexplicably at that and cupped his cheeks. "Because I love you, now and forever, and I don't have to wear a white dress and have a party to be your wife" He carefully caressed her cheek. "I was your wife the moment you said you loved me, as you became my husband when I said it too"

"I love you, you have to know that I do. I may be the god of lies and deceit but I would never lie about that or deceive you"

"I know" her blue eyes met his red ones for a moment before she rose up on her toes to kiss him, when she opened her eyes they met green eyes instead of red, surrounded by pale skin instead of blue. Her gaze moved down to his chest to look at the now smooth skin over his chiseled muscles.

"You think we have until morning?" She looked up and he nodded in reply "Then if I may be so bold and be a bit Midgardian for a while to suggest something" He raised an eyebrow in amusement and she smirked "Take your clothes off, then mine, and then nail me into the mattress"

The reaction from Loki was instant, the hard swallow and clenching of the jaw before his lips crashed against hers to do just as she asked, with an extreme relish. Just as his hands rose to cup her breasts the tore her bodice apart in a quick sudden move and she laughed against his lips and felt him smile before focusing on pushing her dress down her body. The blue fabric hit the ground and she was left in her white gown. She shivered as his hungry gaze slid over her and reached down to work off his belt at the same time as he started to unlace the ribbon on her chest that kept the top of the gown together. His belt dropped to the ground and their eyes met just as Loki gave a final pull at the ribbon which made the top of the dress fall down and reveal, not the corset he first imagined-

Loki laughed "Oh I do have a new appreciation for Midgardian clothing now" he said as his hands rose up to cup her black lace clad breasts. Darcy let out a heavy breath as their bodies got closer and he touched her breasts.

"Then you will love the front clasp" she murmured and he raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. She took one of his hands and put it between her breasts on the lace and then pressed down on one of his fingers until the bra popped slightly and loosened. She blushed at the toothy smile Loki gave her as he slid the black bra down her arms until it fell to the ground. Darcy had slept with her fair number of men on earth during her six years there, and it had usually gone the same way when she got undressed, " _wow, they're huge_!" and " _look at those_ " and even " _are they fake?"_ had become usual and even expected in some cases. But to be fair those guys hadn't really been the type you show off to your friends or have a relationship longer than about an hour with, so she shouldn't judge all other guys after douchebags. But Loki's reaction was still a bit of a surprise.

He was silent. It felt like he studied every part of her skin and when he looked at her breasts she saw his jaw do that stupidly hot clenching thing. He grabbed the loose fabric resting at her hips and pulled it down until both he and the rest of the dress was on the ground. He looked up from his kneeling position to smirk adorably when he looked at the black panties she wore. When they too hit the ground he rose up on his feet and stepped as close to her as possible. She didn't know what excited her more, her bare breasts against his chest or the way he looked at her with his hair falling in his face.

"Lay on the bed" he gave her a slow kiss and when he pulled back she walked over and laid down on the soft covers. She watched him as he waved his hand in a nonchalant gesture and his pants disappeared, he wasn't wearing underwear. He walked over to the bed and pulled down the covers a little in a gesture for her to get beneath, she hadn't noticed how cold it was, probably because she had been too busy looking at his erect penis as he had walked over. When they were both under the cover they started to kiss again and hands greedily caressed each other's skin and when Loki's hand sneaked down between her legs he opened his eyes in surprise and looked at the satisfied smirk on her face.

"A midgardian custom I suppose?" He asked, referring to the lack of hair on her. His breathing was hard as Darcy's hand swept up and down his cock.

"For some yes" She murmured and cupped his balls in her hand, provoking him into adding another finger into her and resume caressing her clit with his thumb. Her hips bucked when he put his hot mouth on her nipple and she tangled one of her hands in his hair. Her nails ran over his neck and he shivered pleasantly. He moved his body over hers, she just about reached the head of his penis so she continued to gently touch the head. He put his lips against her ear.

"Do you remember the time in the library, hiding in between the shelves?" She couldn't answer in word, afraid that the building sensation in her body would disappear if she did, so she just nodded against him. She suddenly gasped as his fingers disappeared and after a quick move they were laying on their sides with him spooning her, his fingers went back to her clit and the other came under her and started to kneed her breasts and she sighed at the pleasure pain it brought as he squeezed harder.

"We were standing like this, your dress bunched to your hips, my fingers on you" as if to put emphasis on his words he quickly pressed her clit in circular motions and she bit down on her lip and grabbed the cover as if to ground her. "My hand on your breasts, my mouth" His breathing was becoming heavier as Darcy pressed her ass against his penis and he ground himself against her ass "My cock pressing against your ass-" He stopped talking when Darcy angled her ass up more and maneuvered her legs in a way which made his cock slip between her legs. He felt her wet core against her penis and felt the movement of his own fingers inside her. She sighed when she felt the hard length of him between her legs and the hand grabbing the cover moved to the hand on her breast and covered it with her own. He kissed her neck and bit her earlobe and after a moment he could feel her insides flutter and his hips started to move against her ass, providing even more sensory stimulation.

She gasped as she came and her mouth remained open as the warm and perfect feeling washed through her body. When her body finally relaxed against his he rolled her over to look down on the perfect sight before him. It was just like he remembered, her hooded eyes, the blush on her cheeks and chest, her parted wet lips. He shivered as she reached out and touched him, spreading the pre cum over the rest of his penis. She gently inched him down against her and continued to touch him until he finally pushed inside her. Both seemed to let out shaking breaths at the sensation. Darcy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, she knew that despite their frequent and very sexual activities before she fled gave them a lot of experience with each other, this was the first time he was actually inside her. This had been meant to be her first time with a man, it would have been with Loki, the man she would have then married and loved more than anything. But it hadn't, it had been with a boy she met first year at uni, but that didn't make this moment any less perfect.

Loki started to thrust into her and she met them as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She looked up in concern when he suddenly slowed down and closed his eyes hard.

"Sorry, it has…been a very long time" He got out and Darcy smiled as she kissed him.

"It's okay" She murmured against his lips and kissed him again "We have till morning" she rocked him against her by pushing him forward with her legs and he pulled out before slamming into her.

There is a notable difference between gods and men, Darcy noted as she moaned beneath Loki who was now grabbing her ass firmly. When a mortal guy says 'sorry, it's been a while' it means expect him to come within about 30 seconds to a minute. When gods, or at least Loki, says the same it means that he will be going for another ten minutes and making you come, again.

Loki came to a sudden stop above her and she watched his eyes close and his lips part just a little as he came. He was very quiet but the pleasure was written all over his face as he gently rocked against her. He was careful not to put all his weight on her but she enjoyed the feeling of his body covering hers.

It felt like it had always been like this.

* * *

_Asgard, years before._

It was raining outside, a heavy downpour that had been released after days with black clouds filling the sky. It was as if Yggdrasil knew what day it was, and how the rain would reflect the emotions of many in the palace. After checking the usual places Thor had a good idea of where his brother had gone and sighed deeply before heading out into the rain to fetch a horse.

The crown prince then rode through the town, smiling briefly as he saw children playing in the rain, before making his way to the observatory. Loki had stopped going to the observatory around six months ago, before that he had been almost as fixed there as Heimdall. But he was back again, Thor stated as he saw Loki's black horse wait in the entrance of the observatory and then the green cape of his brother as he stood close to the portal, as if he too could see through the worlds. Thor looked at Heimdall briefly and Heimdall nodded to him in greeting.

Thor had spoken to the gatekeeper about Loki's previously frequent visits and found that Loki never spoke to the other god. He just walked straight past and watched the portal for hours, before making his way back to the palace. It was generally rare to have Loki speak to anyone in the palace lately, he had always been rather quiet, other than when he had mischief to act on. But the smiling and good humored brother he loved had disappeared a year ago.

Thor walked up next to his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. Loki merely glanced at him before saying, "I come here for the peace and quiet, whatever you have to say can wait"

Thor nodded and was quiet for a moment longer before opening his mouth to speak.

"I know its difficult brother-"

"You know nothing!" Loki hissed and flinched away from Thor's hand on his shoulder.

"I want to help, Loki!"

"Shut up!" Loki bellowed and Heimdall regarded the two brothers. Thor wouldn't fight his brother, but his attempts at making things better could easily provoke Loki into attacking his brother. Heimdall held his steady hands on his sword, waiting for a potential threat from the younger brother.

"There is nothing you can do" Loki said and started to walk away. Another testament to how tired the young prince had become this last year, and how much he had changed. Very few people, such as the gatekeeper, could see the change in Loki's soul. It shimmered around him as a shadow and told of bad news, it needed to be put out quickly.


	22. 22

_When all of your flaws and all of my flaws_  
_Are laid out one by one_  
_The wonderful part of the mess that we made_  
_We pick ourselves undone_

_All of your flaws and all of my flaws_  
_They lie there hand in hand_  
_Ones we've inherited, ones that we learned_  
_They pass from man to man_

_-Flaws_

The quick tapping of Loki's foot against the floor was the only sound in the corridor outside his rooms, despite being surrounded by guards no one said a word. He had been standing outside his room for about an hour now waiting while Darcy met with her father. While the general had been kind to Loki after Darcy's disappearance, their situations were similar after all, both had lost her, he wasn't so sure about what the general thought of him now… but he was sure that Darcy's father would enlighten her about his thoughts on her betrothed.

The door suddenly opened and the second general walked out, he glanced at the guards who bowed their heads in greeting, then he looked at Loki. It felt like an eternity where nothing happened but just staring at each other, then Loki bowed, not just slightly with his head as he could do due to his status as prince compared to the second general's position.

By the way the general was staring at him it was obvious that he was conflicted over how to respond, Loki was a traitor, but his daughter's betrothed. But the general could change that.

The general inclined his head slightly towards Loki before walking away. Loki let out a breath and stepped through the open door, but before he had the time to close it someone called out to him.

"Your highness!" He turned around to see Pia running toward him before slowing down and looking at the guards warily. The young and tall awkward spy had changed over the years from the girl who had ran to tell him that Darcy was taken from the palace by his mother to perhaps the most valued pair of eyes he had in the palace, she had grown into herself as well. Though she still dressed like a boy, her long brown red hair and full pretty face gave her away.

"I have a message from your brother" She declared and he nodded for her to get into the room, she glanced at the guards as she passed them and followed him. Darcy looked up from her place at the window and gave the younger woman a questioning stare.

"What's the message?"

"It's not really a message, it's just something I happened to hear" Loki raised an eyebrow and she continued "I heard the king tell some guard chief to escort you to the throne room tonight, don't know why tho"

She looked up at the prince warily, it seemed like he had frozen in place at her words. He gave a short nod.

"Thank you" He said, although his voice was weak. She nodded and walked out. When the door closed behind Pia, Loki turned to look at Darcy who looked back at him with sad eyes.

"I'm surprised he gave me this long" Loki murmured and ran a hand over his face, messing up his slicked back hair in the process. He heard the swishing of Darcy's dress as she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him, he hugged her back and rested his head on hers.

"I like this dress" He murmured after a moment of silence and ran his hands over the dark purple fabric of her back.

"I know" she looked up at him with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"How did it go with your father?"

"Oh it was all tears and hugs" She sighed with a smile and put a hand on his cheek. "Talk of duty and marriage as well"

"He wants to terminate our engagement"

"Yes"

"And what did you say?" The question was posed as neutrally as possible, as if they were discussing the weather or color of a new dress, but he was sure she felt the near heartbreaking tension in him.

"I said that after this is done, I will marry you, if you are ready to work some things out with yourself first"

"I will I promise-" she pressed a finger to his lips to stop the wave of apologies passing his lips.

"None of that now. Kiss me instead, if we only have until tonight I don't want to spend another moment being pitied or pity our situation. We don't even know what's going to happen" she cupped his face and he leaned down to kiss her. When they parted he took her hands and led her over to the bed and sat her down on the edge.

"I have a gift for you, it's nearly six years late but…" He kissed her one last time on the nose before walked across the room to one of the bookshelves and pulled out a book and then walked back to her. Sinking down to his knees infront of her and handing her the book. She frowned at him and the studied the thick dusty old book.

"What's it about?" She smiled and turned it over looking for a title but found none.

"It's about you" she looked at him in surprise before opening the book, being confused about how this could possibly be about her- until she saw what was inside. The book was hollow, and in the book lay trinkets. She picked up a dried pressed flower, a star lily, and looked at Loki who rose to sit next to her on the bed.

"It's the flower you had in your hair at the engagement announcement" He murmured and reached an arm around her waist and rubbed small circles on her hip as she studied the flower. She put it in on her lap and then picked up a blue ribbon, she smiled as she recognized it.

"And that's the ribbon you used to tie back your braid when you worked" Loki said with a smile as he noticed one spreading across her face.

"I was looking for that, you know" She said and gave him a teasing chiding look and he smirked. She then carefully lifted a flower crown from the book, its purple flowers had faded into a dull lilac. His heart hurt a little when he looked at it and remembered his mother's words about how Darcy seemed like the kind of woman who would like flower crowns for her children.

"Your mother taught me to make this" She said and looked at him. "You saved these for so long"

"six years aren't much to gods" He murmured and then kissed her cheek "But they were an eternity without you" she carefully placed all the trinkets back into the book so she could hold him but he stopped her.

"Turn it over" he instructed and she did "Open it" She only hesitated for a second, it was hollow so there couldn't be anything on the other side, then she remembered that it was probably magically structured.

She just gasped as she opened the other side of the book and he picked up the necklace. "This was my engagement gift to you, the one you were supposed to receive that night"

"You never had a chance to give it" She murmured as she looked at the necklace in awe. She wasn't much of a jewelry girl but the necklace was so beautiful she couldn't help but lose her ability to speak when looking at it. It was in pure silver, it almost glowed white in the light from the windows, and at the center was a star lily surrounded by tiny white gems along the chain that almost looked like stars. Loki unclasped it and reached around her neck to fasten it. It fell just below her collarbone.

"You are so beautiful" He murmured, kissing her temple as he did. She turned her head and their noses touched. He could feel his insides clench at the look in her eyes and glanced over her shoulder briefly out the window, the sun was still high, they had a couple of more hours.

"I love you, if I don't have the chance to tell you that every day from now on I want you to know that, no matter what" he kissed her cheek sweetly and she turned around more and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you too, so much"

When the sun rays started to fade and the signs of sunrise blossomed over the sky, they lay on the bed looking at each other. Studying every part of naked skin they could find and kissing until their lips hurt. They didn't move until a knock on the door alerted them of the time, even as the knocks continued they didn't let go of each other. If anything they just held on tighter, this was going to be the hardest part.

* * *

The throne room was quiet despite being filled with people, there was a quiet buzzing of rumors surrounding his brother that swept through the room. The talk unnerved him and he would have liked to flee it all and take his brother somewhere safe to hide him, but where could he hide? Loki had burned bridges all around him and the few he had were bridle or newly formed. He felt Jane take his hand and when he turned to look at her she smiled in reassurance. He appreciated the effort she made to understand his and his brother's situation even though she disliked Loki, and he knew Loki hadn't gained any favors from Jane when her assistant turned out to be engaged to him.

Thor glanced over at the Nordenstierna family close to the stairs leading to the throne. Eddard and his sister and her husband stood stone faced and contemplated the people around them. Sure, there was a huge respect for the second general and his family, but they could not escape gossip like this. The soon to be punished prince of Asgard would still marry the general's daughter, for a man of such principles as the general that was a difficult thing to endure.

"Thor" he turned around and saw Sif. "You are needed in the ante room" he gave a quick nod and she disappeared through the crowd again.

"Jane, I will only be gone a moment" He tried to leave but she grabbed his hand

"Can't I come with you? Don't make me stand up here alone to be glared at" She pleaded and he thought about it for a moment before nodding and they walked away. After a short trip down another flight of stairs next to the throne and through the door there the crown prince felt his heart fall in his chest even more.

"You didn't need to get him" Darcy mumbled into Loki's chest, her arms wound tightly around him and his around her. Loki only glanced up at Thor for a moment before his eyes went back to watch his fingers wind Darcy's curls around his knuckles.

"I wouldn't have had to if you had let go" Sif responded, but not unkindly. It seemed that despite Sif's rage over Loki's actions even she could be swayed by the heartbreaking display they made.

Jane stepped forward and put her hand on Darcy's shoulder that wasn't occupied by Loki's arm. She didn't really know what to say in this situation, her best friend who turned out to be an Asgardian who lost her memories was sad that her fiancée who tried to kill everyone on earth was going to go to trial and then she wouldn't know if she would see him again, or how she would see him. So Jane said nothing.

"I'm done soon" Darcy mumbled and Loki dropped his chin to the top of her head.

"I'm not" He murmured back and she laughed briefly which made it all a bit easier for him.

"We must go brother, we have put it off long enough" Thor said and Loki glared up at him but Thor only looked at Darcy who seemed to have crept closer into Loki's embrace, and Loki swallowed down the hard lump in his throat. The hand that had been spread in Darcy's hair gently angled her face up to his and met her big blue eyes.

"Not yet"

"I'm afraid it won't get easier" his thumbs caressed the sides of her face and she put her hands around his wrists as if to hold them in place there forever.

"You could try saying something stupid and stuck-up, that usually helps" She smiled but the smile was without mirth, nevertheless he smiled a genuine smile.

"I'll see you soon, love" Sif and Thor and even some of the guards looked away, and Jane stepped back from Darcy when Loki leaned down for a last kiss, unbeknownst to them it wouldn't be physically possible in some time afterwards.

When Loki leaned back Darcy went back to wrapping her arms around him, and Loki finally let his gaze meet Thor's who didn't need to be told what to do next. The red cape billowed as Thor walked forward and picked up the loudly protesting Darcy. As soon as she was out of his arms they were quickly locked together with chains and shackles.

"Thor put me down!" Darcy shrieked, the purple fabric of her dress flying as she kicked and tried to claw her way out of Thor's arms, he would have some pretty nasty scratch marks after that. But Darcy was to distressed and focused to notice that, her full attention was on how Loki was locked down and led down another corridor that would take them to the great doors leading to the throne room, for him to be displayed like a criminal...

Thor relaxed as he felt Darcy's body lose its rigidity and she stopped fighting. He gently put her down again and was about to speak when a sharp flash of pain spread over his cheek.

Darcy stared back at him defiantly with quickly forming tears in her eyes, the defiance that had been there when she slapped him seemed to pour out of her eyes with her tears and she covered them with her hands.

"I'm so sorry!" she sobbed out and Thor put his arms around her tightly.

"I know you are Darcy, forgive me little sister" Darcy just nodded her head against his chest. She hadn't reacted to him calling her sister, Jane had, but she wasn't aware of how the runes and spell Darcy and Loki had been a part of at their engagement tied Darcy to the rest of the royal family.

Darcy looked up at Thor and he wiped away tears from her cheeks. "Take a moment before you go to your family, you have nothing to be ashamed of Darcy. Be proud, be haughty even, don't let the crowd get to you. You have done nothing wrong"

"No, just the man I'm engaged to" She said with a self-depreciating smile. Thor ran a hand across his face.

"This won't be easy"

"Do you know anything about…what they will do with him?"

"I'm afraid not…"

"Then there is only one way to find out"

* * *

When the great doors opened and revealed Loki and his escort of guards Eddard immediately grabbed Darcy's hand, both in comfort and to hold her in place, his daughter's impulsive nature would not help her or the prince in this situation.

The prince passed them without looking their way, and even though he could feel Darcy's urge to get closer to him he was grateful that the prince had sense enough not to look at her, for she would have tried to get to him if he had. He had already had to strengthen his hold on her hand, she had visibly stepped forward and he followed almost not noticeably to avoid her actions being too visible.

Loki felt the chains around his neck and torso pull him back as he reached the steps leading to the throne, signaling that the guards wanted him to stop walking. He resisted the urge to cough as the chain around his neck tightened far too much, he made a mental note to kill the guard holding that particular chain.

He looked up at his family, Odin on the throne, Frigga next to him and Thor and Jane next to her.

"Loki Odinson, you are to be trialed for you crimes against Asgard and Midgard. For allowing frost giants to enter Asgard, twice, and putting the Asgardian people in danger and scheming conflict between Jotunheim and Asgard. For your invasion of Midgard with the chitauri, the killing and harming of humans that the chitauri executed while following your orders. Do you deny any of those crimes to be of your making?"

There was a very heavy pause where no one in the room said anything, afraid to miss Loki's answer, but they would be disappointed because he said nothing. He merely held Odin's gaze silently until Odin sighed.

"I have had to consider many things while preparing your sentence. During your crimes in Midgard you were partly controlled by Thanos, which avoids you taking sole responsibility for those crimes. And you stopped the invasion willingly…" When Odin said this his gaze traveled to Darcy only for a second, making it perfectly clear to Loki how much Odin knew of his willingness in that case. "And your crimes in Midgard have been partially paid for during your stay there, so you will answer for your crimes against Asgard here"

The deafening silence that came before the sentence made Loki eerily aware of his heart pounding so hard it echoed through his body. His eyes were locked on Odin, as were all other's in the throne room, and Odin could feel it keenly.

He felt Loki's stare the most, and those of Frigga and Thor as well. But this decision was his alone and he would deal with whatever consequences they threw his way. It was for Loki's own sake after all.

"Loki Odinson, I sentence you to a year of silent repenting, tied to a pole with your lips sown shut, followed by 100 days of imprisonment in the dungeons. Your magic will be taken from you, you will have no food or warmth. Should your behavior be deemed unchanged after this punishment you will be exiled"

Very different thoughts crossed Loki's mind, it was a significantly shorter time than he thought- _good_ , how would he _seal_ my lips? He wouldn't be completely removed from Darcy- _good_ , was this too easy on him- _not under the threat of exile if he fucked it up afterwards which he felt like doing now just out of spite._

Darcy felt her lungs fill with air again at the same time as the chatter in the hall started gently. But she quickly froze again when she saw Odin descend the stairs and reach for whatever had been in the box the servant held out to him. It was a needle, a huge gold needle…

When Loki saw the needle he acted purely out of instinct, his head flinched to the side and met Darcy's wide terrified eyes despite his effort to not look at her and feel just how much this really hurt. He saw her take rushed step forward and then be yanked back forcefully by her father and aunt. His eyes jumped over to Eddard for a moment and when the steel grey eyes locked onto his briefly he let one thought escape.

_Don't let her see…_

The second general made no sign of recognition that he had heard the words but focused on his daughter instead who was caught between paralyzing fear and a strong need to go and save Loki. Loki looked back at Odin who was now almost in front of him and fought the near blinding impulse to move away from him, but he wouldn't show fear.

Odin didn't even glance at the guards as he gave his command, "To his knees" The chains were yanked forcefully and Loki was thrown to his knees. In the clinking of the chains he heard Darcy gasp out in protest, and then scream out 'no' when Odin grabbed his chin and raised his head. The guards descended on him then, holding his arms, his shoulders, his neck and legs.

On the dais Frigga grabbed Thor's hand and stared in horror as Loki's first scream erupted through the hall. There was no thread to that needle, it would sow his lips shut with magic that burned the skin together. Another half muffled scream made Frigga want to close her eyes and cover her ears, almost envious of how Lord Nordenstierna and his sister carefully turned Darcy away from it all despite the girl's struggling.

After what seemed like an eternity the guards let go of him and his shuddering muscles gave in and he fell to the floor. The harsh exhales of air from his nose both hurt and cooled the searing hot skin of him lips, but when he inhaled he only smelled blood.

"Take him to the pole" Odin said and turned around to walk up the stairs. He was yanked to his feet, and even though his lips were the only thing that was damaged his entire body seemed to hurt from the shock of it all.

When he entered the ante chamber the guards removed his coat and armor, leaving him in his green tunic and black pants. He flinched when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, but when he turned around it was his mother. But the brief relief he felt when he saw her disappeared when he suddenly felt an ice cold wave go through his body towards the spot where his mother's hand was placed on his shoulder. She was taking his magic.

When she withdrew her hand he was cold and his body was shaking even more and he wanted nothing more than to let his body crumble down onto the floor, but he would preserve as much dignity as he could. He looked at his mother who reached for his hand.

"I'll give it to Darcy, it will keep her safe" Loki couldn't do more than nod. It would be best. He would be useless in protect her now tied to a pole.

"My queen, we need to move" One of the guards said and Frigga squeezed his hand before letting go.

"I love you" her voice was low as the guards moved him away but he heard it nonetheless, and he tried to make it comfort him. But at the moment, there was nothing but a dull paralyzing fear for how he would do this.


	23. 23

_I can't help but want you_  
_I know that I'd die without you_  
_I can't help but be wrong in the dark_  
_Cause I'm overcome in this war of hearts_  
_I can't help but want oceans to part_  
_Cause I'm overcome in this war of hearts_

_-War of hearts_

Steve was pacing in the lab, and had been doing so for a while. Tony suddenly snapped as the sound of the captains boots made a turn to stride across the room for the billionth time!

"Oh would you look at that the pacing solved the situation of the missing assistant and the new hostile organization going after us, nice work Cap!"

Steve rounded on the billionaire but was stopped by Natasha who gave him a gentle push back and a stare that clearly told him not to let Tony provoke him. Steve let out a harsh sigh.

"What do you want me to do Stark?"

"Don't make a hole in my floor from your unnecessary pacing!"

"Shut up Tony, we are all worried about Darcy. We're on the same side" Natasha said and Tony shot from his chair to walk over to stare out the window in grudging silence. She recognized what he was feeling, Tony may be charming and easy going but he rarely let people in, like her. And Darcy had been close to both of them, she even suspected that Tony had started to feel almost a fatherly responsibility over her which was driving him crazy.

The door to the lab opened and Clint walked in, making all eyes turn towards him.

"Any luck with the identities? The guns?" Natasha asked and felt her frustration grow as Clint shook his head.

"No luck yet. The guns are special made and so far none of the guys has been identified, we have one left…but the chances are slim that he will be identified, these guys were pros."

"Then we can only hope that they mess up this once" Banner muttered from his corner by the computer.

"They won't get away with this" Steve growled and the rest of them silently agreed.

_"_ _Sir?"_

"What is it Jarvis?"

_"_ _Thor has returned with Miss Lewis and Dr Foster, they are making their way from the balcony"_

Jarvis barely had time to finish the sentence before the Avengers fought each other to get out of the lab door, jamming each other in instead, and up to the half destroyed penthouse.

When the elevator doors slid opened and they were let out into the penthouse, covered in construction material and white plastic drapes that protected it from rain, and walking towards them was Thor flanked by Jane and Darcy, all dressed in Asgardian clothing, Jane in a gold flowy dress and Darcy in a dark blue.

Tony was the first to approach and he immediately threw his arms around Darcy in a tight hug. "I hope the renaissance fair was fun, it better be to compensate for the worry you caused young lady" He mumbled and then pulled back, surprised to see tears in her eyes. "I was only joking kiddo"

Darcy nodded as Thor put a protective hand on her shoulder. "I know, I know. It's not you" She looked at the other Avengers. "We need to talk"

* * *

The group followed Darcy to the lab, whose tidy appearance betrayed nothing of the violence she remembered the last time she had set her foot there. She glanced over to the spot where Loki had met her gaze snapping someone's neck, goosebumps spread over her arms and she rubbed them as if to keep warm, and to keep the memory out.

While they followed her, after a brief pause for reuniting hugs and smiles, they noticed something different about the usually cheerful assistant/hacker. It was most apparent to Natasha and Tony who had spent the most time with her out of the others in the team. Something in her air was different, and it wasn't just the clothes, but more the way she wore them, like it was something she expected to wear and wore like nothing else. And something in her eyes and the way she carried herself, but none of them could put their fingers on it.

The avengers took a seat at the big table covered in graphs and charts while Thor stood behind Darcy's chair, the protective behavior didn't go unnoticed, and while Thor had always looked out for the young woman…this was different.

"So, what happened in Asgard?" Steve asked gently and Darcy cleared her throat and sat up straighter.

"We'll get to that, there is just something I need to clear up before…that" The avengers glanced at each other but remained silent and looked at Darcy.

"Six years ago I started studying at the university, and then ended up with Jane which after a lot of space related incidents led me here to be with you. And I love working here, with all of you, the work you do is so important and I would do anything in my power to help make that easier for you-"

"You're rambling doll" Tony interrupted "We know all of these things already"

"No you don't" Darcy said with a sigh and a smile "Because I didn't know either" That made all except Thor and Jane frown. "Darcy Lewis didn't exist before six years ago, she appeared the very first day of university, conveniently"

Natasha watched her warily, the Darcy she knew couldn't lie to save her own life, how had she managed to invent an entirely new life for herself? Could she really be that good? As if reading her thoughts Darcy met her gaze.

"I didn't lie about any of it though" Natasha frowned.

"Explain yourself"

Darcy paused briefly before sighing "My name is Darcy Nordenstierna, I was born in Asgard, I don't know how long ago, time moves different there and no one really keeps up with birthdays there. I was hidden away here in Asgard six years ago by the queen, the chitauri were after my soul and tried to kill me, probably in an attempt to possess me. So she stripped me of my magical signature and memory, planted a completely new identity and left me here under the protection of Heimdall, the Asgardian gatekeeper"

The puzzle pieces finally fell into place for several of the people in the room. But it was Bruce that spoke up.

"That's how Loki knew you, that's why he was obsessed with you" Darcy nodded and sharp eyes turned against Thor.

"You knew about this and you didn't tell us?" Tony asked and just as Thor was about to speak up Darcy put a hand on his arm next to her chair which silenced him, to the surprise of everyone in the room.

"Thor did what he thought was right, in order to keep me safe. Besides, none of us would have believed him anyway really, I'm far too shabby to be Asgardian after all" She said with a small smile.

"But you are Darcy" Thor said gently and Darcy swallowed.

"Yeah, the two lives thing is getting quite bothersome at times"

"Were you royalty? Do we need to bow down to great queen Darcy now?" Tony asked with a smirk and Darcy snorted out a laugh and rolled her eyes.

"Not really, and if I had been you would have had to call me khaleesi, not a queen"

"How is your life in Asgard?" Bruce asked in genuine curiosity, his history geek showing just a little.

Darcy smiled "I have a very large family, cousins and aunts everywhere. My father is the second general of Asgard, and I am a healer" She smiled and while they looked impressed they all seemed to have a common concern with her story.

"And Loki?" Natasha asked, speaking what everyone had on their mind.

Darcy smiled thinly and her gaze lost it self somewhere far away "I was his healer. We fell in love. We got engaged, and on the night of our engagement ceremony there was an attempt to kill me by the chitauri. Frigga took me away, but he caught up with us just as I was about to be thrown down to earth…I had no memory of our life or what happened that night after I came here, but now I do and it crushes me to know that he was forced to remember that all this time."

Thor chose that moment to jump in and give Darcy a break "Darcy is still engaged to my brother, and soon a princess of Asgard, and therefor under the protection of the Asgardian throne. Whatever feelings you may have about her situation you will treat her with the respect she is due" Thor stated, and while it had never occurred to any of them to shut her out for what she had told them they didn't have time to say it until Darcy spoke again.

She paused and her gaze returned to the room and she looked at the others "My disappearance wore him down, his mind was not the same, that's how Thanos got to him. Before all of this he was the sweetest, and most gentle person and he never would have dreamed of doing something like this. And while that does not excuse what he did to earth, to you, to us, I just wanted…" Darcy paused and then abruptly stood up, angry and tired tears in her eyes.

"You know what, I am done. I don't want to defend him or me anymore today" She threw an angry look at Jane who rightly covered a little. "I watched the love of my life get his lips sown shut by a man who is supposed to love him like a son! I watched as he was tied to a pole and had his hands sown together so that he can't move them, they could have used rope but they sowed his hands together! All for a punishment I keep telling myself that he deserves, but I am SICK and TIRED of it!" She cried and Thor wrapped and arm around her shoulders.

"If there is nothing else, I just want to be left alone and get to be sad over how the man I love is in pain and humiliated, without hearing or convincing myself of how it is the right thing" She said much more quietly this time before walking away followed by Thor.

When they left there was a deafening silence in the lab before Steve finally let out:

"Holy hell"

"Language" Tony muttered before pushing his chair back.

"Where are you going?" Steve asked and Tony shrugged on his jacket.

"I'm going to comfort her, have to order some Cheetos first but after that I'm going to comfort her" He looked around at the blank faces.

"She's right. Right now in this moment, she is not the devil's bride or an evil space villain, nor will she ever be. She is Darcy, and despite having another life we didn't know about, that doesn't make her less herself. She is our kiddo, and she needs Cheetos…So" He looked at them all before starting to step out, before he reached the door Natasha put a hand on his shoulder while putting on her jacket as well.

"She doesn't like Cheetos that much, if we're going for comfort we need sour skittles with the Cheetos to balance it out" Then they disappeared.

Bruce and Hawkeye looked at Steve who rolled his eyes "I guess we're picking the movie then" He said with a sigh and they stood up.

"She was about to make me watch sex and the city before she disappeared, I have the box set in my apartment" Bruce said and Hawkeye frowned.

"Naah, we need something sexless, cartoons should do it. Disney's a safe choice"

"Sure, beauty and the beast?" Steve asked, knowing it was one of her favorites.

"You should start with something lighter, and if the reactions are good you should put it on last so she has some feel good feelings left" Jane added meekly and the men turned around.

"Sounds great" Steve said with a smile and they headed for the door but Jane stayed put, desperately clutching at her gold dress. Bruce and Clint left but Steve looked back at her.

"You coming?"

Jane shook her head "She wouldn't want me there, I haven't exactly been the best friend lately, especially with this thing about Loki"

"You would only make it worse by standing her up now when she needs you" Steve added gently with a smile and Jane sighed. "Hey, Darcy is still Darcy. And you are still her friend, come on" Steve nodded towards the door with a smile and Jane paused for a moment before nodding and walking out the door with him.

* * *

_Asgard, after Loki's punishment in the throne room_

The door to the balcony banged open and Darcy practically fell out, frantically tearing off the fur that Agnes had wrapped around her shoulders, trying to get air into her lungs and stop the wheezing sound that she made instead of breathing. She stepped on the skirt of her dress and fell to the ground, still clawing at her neck to try to let air in.

Before she knew it her aunt and father were on the ground next to her, holding her up.

"Breathe darling, breathe!" Her father murmured and she felt her aunt pull at the corset string at her back, even though it wasn't so tight it still felt freeing when the last string loosened. She sucked in a deep breath and then cried her eyes out, her father holding her from the front and her aunt from the back in tight embraces.

When her sobs evened out and she finally spoke "Why did they have to sow his hands together? His lips? They could have used ropes, just fucking charmed it and tied him up" Darcy cried and tried not to think about how his face and been contorted in raw pain as they held him to the pole and sowed his hands together behind his back on the other side of the pole, or how his muffled screams had sounded when they echoed in the throne room.

"I know darling" Agnes murmured in her ear and stroked her hair. She heard other steps coming towards them out on the balcony but from her hunched over position on the floor she couldn't see anything other than the hem of two dresses and a pair of heavy boots.

She didn't even look up, even if she had a hunch about who it was. Frigga kneeled on the ground in front of her and Darcy straightened up and her father and aunt loosened their hold on her a little. To make the queen kneel on the floor was hugely scandalous, so might as well try to look respectful while she was down there. Thor and Jane stood behind the queen without speaking.

She took one of Darcy's hands and squeezed it comfortingly. "I have something for you dear, Loki wanted you to have this, he trusts no one as much as you" Darcy frowned and looked at the queens other hand, which was closed. Frigga moved her closed palm over to Darcy's out stretched one and then opened her own palm against Darcy's. A soft blue light shone between their palms and Darcy gasped as a wave of both cold and warm energy whispered through her. When Frigga removed her palm Darcy looked at her hand in astonishment, even though no mark was left on it.

"Was that his magic?" Darcy asked and Frigga nodded.

"To protect you, you probably won't have any control over it, but who knows. It will protect you however, his magic is as much a part of him as anything else in his body, and it loves you just as much as he does." That brought a wobbly smile to Darcy's lips and Frigga smiled as well and stood.

Darcy looked at her father and he helped her up to standing position. As soon as she was standing Thor approached her with open arms and Darcy readily stepped into his arm and hugged him. Thor hid his face in her hair and Darcy hugged him harder. They were in the same boat, no one except probably Frigga, would understand them like they did each other. How they felt about Loki and this bizarre situation would not be understood by anyone but them.

Darcy felt Thor exhale a shuddering breath in her curls. "It's okay big guy" Darcy whispered back and Thor loosened her hold on her enough to look down on her.

"This may not be the time, but I'm bringing Jane back to earth tonight…I understand if you want to stay-"

"I don't" Darcy interrupted and she could practically feel her father's heart shrivel at her words, she turned around to take his hands.

"I need to see my friends, I need to know if they are okay. And I need to get away from here, you see how they look at me! I don't need their pity and I don't need to hear their talk of how other matches can be made for me, or how they speak of him and call him horrible things!" Darcy's eyes spilled over with tears and her father wiped them away with his thumbs and cupped her cheeks.

"I wouldn't dream of holding you here against your will, go. Just promise me to come back, and not after another six years please" Darcy laughed at that and Eddard smiled. "You are stronger than you think Darcy, I know you can rise above what they say here, but I understand if it doesn't feel like that now"

"Thank you father" Darcy whispered and he kissed her forehead and wrapped her into a hug.

"There is just one thing I need to do before I go" Darcy said and her father nodded, knowing what it was.

"Do you want to bring any of your belongings? I can arrange it" Darcy nodded.

"There is a book on my bed, it's hollow, and the dagger you had made for me hangs behind the mirror in my room" Eddard smiled and nodded.

"I'll get it myself. You remember how to use it?" Darcy nodded, of course she did, he had made her practice with it since she was old enough to understand was self defense was. She had remembered how cool she had thought it was at the time to have a weapon fashioned after the crown prince's mjölnir. Inside the hilt of her dagger there was a chain, so the knife could be thrown at someone and then pulled back into her hand to be used again, and she had been extremely well taught at hitting her targets.

And she would need that confidence now.

* * *

As Darcy made her way with Thor and Jane towards the closed courtyard Loki was kept, Darcy realized that Jane hadn't said a word, nothing along the lines of comfort or anything really. She didn't have the energy to handle that right now though, she didn't know if she would have the energy to do anything ever again right now.

When they turned down the corridor she saw the wide closed doors to the courtyard, guarded by Sif and Volstagg at the time. Sif met her sad eyes and the warrior performed the disgraceful act of leaving her post to meet her friend half way and embrace her.

"Thank you" Darcy whispered and Sif pulled back, still holding Darcy's forearms in a comforting grip.

"You know I have no love for him, not after all that he has done, but I have all my love for you. And should you ever need me, I will be there" Sif said and Darcy let out a shaky breath.

"Thank you, you have no idea how much that means to me" Sif nodded and let her go, glancing over Darcy's shoulder to see Jane approaching her.

"Darcy" Jane said and Darcy turned towards her, maybe even Sif's show of support, with her minimal liking for Loki, made Jane realized she should step up too. Jane hugged her and Darcy allowed her to relax in her friends arms, before they pulled apart.

"I know this must be hard for you, but you can't forget what he has done just because he is being punished, you know he deserves this"

"Jane" Thor stepped in and put a hand on Jane's shoulder but she looked up at him defiantly.

"No, you both need to hear this." She looked between Thor and Darcy. "Just because you know him and are sad about all of this doesn't mean that you get to forget about why this is happening. What he has done, both here and on earth, especially on earth, was horrible! He has to be punished for all the lives-"

"Don't you dare insinuate that I, that we, forgot about that!" Darcy growled out and Jane sighed.

"Well it seems like you have, maybe it would feel better to realize that he deserves this, don't treat him like a victim because he isn't"

"He is my fiancée! He is your boyfriend's brother, have you got no shame!" Darcy bellowed and Jane opened her mouth to speak but Darcy stepped closer and interrupted her, eyes burning.

"Don't you dare to tell us what to feel, you have no fucking idea of how this feels! You do not get to tell me how I should feel better about knowing that my fiancée's punishment is well deserved! The man I love, the only man I will ever love is in pain, he is humiliated and you do not get to tell me that it is for the best because I don't fucking think so! I have no rational mind in about this matter, nor do I fucking care for one, I am in pain and I am sad out of my mind, so do not come near me if you even think out spouting this nonsense." Darcy took a deep breath and then said in a far more threatening tone than before, "You want me on your side Jane, but if you don't shut up about Loki…There are far more damaging things I could do to you than you could do to me"

Darcy turned away from Jane's wide eyed stare, that was starting to fill with tears, as she was starting to lose her only friend.

Darcy marched over to the door and glanced both at Sif and Volstagg, who opened the doors for her, then closed them behind her.

The courtyard was small, a snow filled square hiding the soft grass beneath and the flowers that used to grow in beautiful arrangements in the corners, in the middle of the square there was the new addition of a stone pole. With the prince of Asgard wrapped around it.

At the sound of the doors opening Loki had raised his gaze, and the muffled sigh he involuntary let out when he saw her wrenched her already sore heart. Her body started to run towards him before her brain caught up with her, her bothersome purple dress in the way as she ran. When she threw her arms around his body she was sobbing and Loki leaned down his head as much as he could to touch her. She looked up at his face, the face she loved and the face that won over practically everyone when he wanted to. His eyes were sad, and his lips looked swollen and hurt from the gold thread that was woven through them.

"Oh darling" Darcy cried and Loki closed his eyes and shook his head, as if telling her not to worry about it. "I will worry as much as I please" She said and he sighed. She rose up on her tiptoes and kissed his face everywhere she could reach, except his lips. With every kiss he seemed to relax into her.

"I think a kiss on the lips will have to wait for a while, at least until the swelling goes down" Darcy whispered and Loki nodded. "We can do this Loki, I'll be here every day, I'll sit and read to you and prattle on about the most ridiculous things and then before you know it this will be over" Loki nodded in response again and kept his eyes fixed on hers, desperately trying to tell her everything in his heart but not being able to.

Darcy stared back at him, trying to think about what he could want her to say. "Your mother gave me your magic, I'll be safe" He continued to stare at her and she bit her lip. She hugged him again, trying to give him her warmth. He nudged his chin against the top of her forehead and she looked up at him, and he rubbed his nose against hers, that's when she knew what he wanted.

She smiled as she looked up at him "I love you too" He let out a breath at that and rubbed his nose against hers again with his eyes closed in pleasure.

"I will be here every day, but I'm going back to Midgard tonight with your brother" Loki stared wide eyed at her and she gently cupped his face "Don't worry, I'll be back soon, two days and then I'll be back and I will see you as soon as I'm here. I need to know if my friends are safe, and they need to know the truth about me and I won't let Thor tell that story, they deserve to be told in person" She said with a smile and kissed his face again.

When she looked back at him he seemed calmer, but only a little bit. "I will come back and we will be together, and then you will spend centuries with me nagging you and you will have no choice but to put up with me" She smiled "I love you, and this isn't goodbye, I promise" She kissed his face again, as close as she could his mouth as possible without hurting him, before giving him one last look and turning around and walking away.

Looking back would hurt too much, and so she didn't, she was strong.

* * *

Natasha was the last of the gang to leave Darcy's apartment, after Darcy had to force Thor out the door, she had never had a big brother and now that Thor had taken on the task she realized how both nice and annoying it was.

Darcy turned to the super spy "Thank you for staying, I need a favor"

Natasha raised an eyebrow "Of course"

"I have a feeling Thor won't let me out of his sight anytime soon, so I can't do this myself, otherwise I wouldn't put this on you" Darcy paused "I need you to go out and buy a pregnancy test for me, and you can't tell anyone"

Natasha didn't miss a beat and her face betrayed nothing "Of course, consider it handled"


	24. 24

_All my friends are heathens. Take it slow_   
_Wait for them to ask you who you know_   
_Please don't make any sudden moves_   
_You don't know the half of the abuse_

_-Heathens_

The avengers all looked at the wall wide screen Fury was gesturing at, displaying all the information they had on the organization that had attacked them. The conference room glowed a ghostly blue from monitor. Just as another image appeared on the screen Steve both froze and pushed of the table he had been leaning against and walked towards the image.

"Are you sure about this?" The captain asked and gave Fury a disbelieving look, which the director had fully anticipated.

"Without a doubt, we traced everything the soldiers had on them to one man-" another image appeared next to the one that featured heavily in all of Steve's nightmares. The man in the photo was the definition of a military man, his shaved blond hair and expression of studying everyone and everything in the room to assess any dangers told as much, and the expensive suit and military marks and medals on his chest told of a high rank.

"-Nicholas Crauss, served in the german army before being transferred to the German embassy in Washington DC where he served as command. He has since then climbed the ranks within Homeland security" Steve sat down again, not wanting to believe in what Fury was about to say.

"His family supported the nazis, and we have traced the Crauss's involvement to a specific branch of the nazi party-"

"Hydra" Natasha mumbled as she studied the party symbol next to the picture of Crauss. Steve let out a sigh and rubbed his hand over his face. Fury nodded.

"And none of the super imposing security agencies we have could figure that out?" Tony asked in disbelief.

"His history is well covered up, and even if it had been found he has the chance to play the 'don't judge me by family history' card and get away with it depending on the leniency of the agents uncovering the information. And no American agency would dare to question the German government too much when wondering why it authorized his family history to be off limits to even the highest security clearance."

"Then how did shield get it?" Bruce wondered and Fury opened his mouth to answer, but someone beat him to it.

"You had a damn good hacker I suppose" Heads turned back to see Darcy leaning against the doorframe, sucking a lollipop. She walked over to the table, her floor long black skirt with a top layer of mesh flowing as she walked. If she had paired the skirt with an equally bad ass top she would have looked deadly, but being Darcy she paired it with a grey vneck t-shirt with Mickey mouse holding mjölnir on it.

"Lewis, this mission is of no concern to you-" Fury started and Darcy pointed her lollipop at him.

"It's Nordenstierna, and yes it does concern me. You asked me yesterday if I could hack the German government and get you those files, which I did, when all your other tech support geeks failed. I gave you the final piece of the puzzle, you never would have known Hydra was behind this if it wasn't for me." She gave Fury a hard look "They attacked my friends and tried to abduct and do who knows what to my fiancée, I'm here until tonight and I'm helping" She stated and plopped down in the seat next to Tony who looked far to amused for his own good.

Fury rolled his eyes but decided not to press the issue. "Crauss was in town New year's eve to attend a party-"

"But instead he brought the party to us" Clint said and Natasha couldn't help but smirk, but she quickly got rid of it by focusing on the next step.

"So what is the plan?"

"Arrest him and bring him into custody to interrogate him, we need to know if any other Hydra operatives are in our system" Steve said, coming out of his shock enough to work out what they needed.

"Does he have any guards?" Natasha asked and Fury nodded.

"Two when out of the office, when inside he has one of them posted outside and top video surveillance of his home."

"So we need to take out his guards when he is at the office" Clint said and Natasha shook her head.

"The building security would be too heavy in a place like that, if we were to take him in the office we would need to shut down the building's security system which could possibly alert the other hot shots within the building. It would be risky but it could be done but we need another plan"

"We cannot be seen kidnapping a high ranking member of Homeland, Shield cannot afford to come under fire anymore than it already has" Fury interrupted.

"We go for a classic" Tony said and practically everyone in the room frowned at the term, even the super spies. "We get him to a hotel restaurant, Natasha chats him up, brings him to her room and we bag him. Unless he is into some unforeseeable kinky shit, the guards won't follow him in and no one will see us taking him"

"That could work" Steve said after contemplating it some more.

"It won't" Natasha said making all eyes turn to her but she looked at Fury who frowned for a moment and then nodded.

"You're right, Natasha was seen by Crauss already, attending one of Crauss's parties with one of his associates. Necessary for infiltrating and extracting important homeland documents" Fury stated.

"Why?" Darcy couldn't help herself asking, curiosity killed the cat.

"Classified" Natasha said and Darcy pouted at her, making the super spy smirk before her face burst into sudden realization.

"Darcy could do it" there was a brief pause for processing the statement before a round of 'no's surrounded Darcy's 'yes'.

"Absolutely not Darcy" Thor said, that being the first thing he said during the meeting.

"Thor come on it could work! I could try to use magic to alter my appearance and no one would ever know!"

"It's not safe! How can you think of seducing another man even for nefarious purposes after what has happened?"

"That's the reason I'm doing it! That man was behind the attack that could have taken Loki and killed us, if I have to pretend to flirt to get revenge for that, then hell yes of course I'll do it"

"You can control Loki's magic?" Bruce asked and looked at Darcy in curiosity.

"Well yeah, it's not like I could have afforded this dress otherwise" She pulled at the fabric "I saw it in some fashion add and I just really wanted it and so it appeared next to me" She shrugged "Poof the magic dragon"

"We are going back to Asgard tonight" Thor stated, not liking this plan at all.

"Then let's hack one of his friend's phones and get him to a location we like" Darcy said like it was a no brainer, being as skilled as she was at hacking (she had practiced that particular trick a lot on Tony) it really was that simple to her.

There was a brief silence before Fury nodded. "Rogers, Romanoff and Barton will be the extraction team, I will work out the transport details with Hill. We leave for Washington in two hours, Lewis you work on getting a connection with Crauss's phone and deliver the message when we tell you to."

"Awesome, Natasha can you help me with what to wear?" Darcy asked innocently and Natasha nodded and stood up to walk out with her.

"Of course" the red head said and they left the boys behind.

* * *

There was a heavy silence when Darcy walked out of the bathroom in her apartment in the tower. Natasha was sitting on the couch looking at her.

"Now we just wait two minutes" Darcy said before dropping down next to her on the couch.

"I almost said that you are too young to have a baby, but then I remembered that you don't even know how old you are" Natasha said with a shrug and Darcy laughed.

"True, and now is not the time" Darcy said with a sigh and Natasha looked at her friend.

"So, Loki, how did you guys meet?" Darcy looked at her with a surprised look on her face.

"Girl talk? Really?" The red head shrugged.

"Why not, I'm curious. How did you guys get together?"

Darcy looked at her skeptically before smiling "We had seen each other around the palace a couple of times, or I had seen him, he didn't see me. When I first came to the palace I was a part of the court and not a healer, I was too young at that time. He looked like he could have been eighteen by earth standards by the time I first saw him, if I had to guess I think I would have passed for fourteen, he is at least a two hundred years older than me. He was all my boyband, actor crushes combined" Darcy sighed with a happy smile "Just so utterly perfect, and different" She looked at Natasha "It's the mystery that gets the girl" She said with a smirk and Natasha rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Then I started to study healing and didn't see him for a long long time, until one day when he and the warriors three and Sif entered the healing ward after some crazy adventure gone wrong, I never found out what happened but the magically induced welts all over their bodies were something special" She shivered at the memory, the welts had been absolutely horrible, and as the girls in the ward had said, even the prince's handsome faces and charm couldn't make them even slightly appealing.

"I took care of Loki with another girl in training, he snarled at her for the slightest thing and after a while she stormed off in offence, he snarled at me too but I smiled and said nothing and focused on my work. When I was done and he was welt free he looked at me and asked why I didn't run away like the other girl, and I said 'I work just as well with you shouting at me as I do without it, you lashing out at me in pain will only strengthen my resolve to alleviate said pain'"

"That was the most posh and ridiculous thing I have ever heard" Natasha snorted with a smile and Darcy laughed.

"I know! But something about me made him come back and specifically ask that I handle all his care after the chitauri attacked us. And we went from there" Darcy said and Natasha was surprised to see a blush spread over her cheeks "He was the biggest flirt imaginable, constantly trying to rile me up and embarrass me. But he was so sweet" Darcy snorted out a laugh and looked at Natasha "It must be strange for you to hear me talk like this about him, after everything he did here"

"Truth be told, it unsettles me a little that someone like him has this sort of influence over you…but at the same time I know that you have the same power over him. And I'm ashamed to say that I find your love story kind of…cute"

Darcy pressed a hand to her chest in mock surprise with her mouth open "Did you call something cute? How will the world go on now!"

Natasha playfully slapped her arm and rolled her eyes "Shut up. I mean it, I can empathize with both of you. You were about to marry out of true love and then you vanish and he spirals out of control without you, that sounds like an incredibly sad movie"

"Speaking of sad movies we have to see Me before you!" Darcy gasped and Natasha shook her head.

"Absolutely not!"

"Whyyyy?"

"After you forcing the Notebook down my throat I will never ever watch something like that again"

"You're just angry that I made you feel feeling threatening your superspyness"

"Shut up and lets find you something skanky to wear for tonight"

* * *

Darcy was sweating by the end of changing her appearance, she grabbed the edges of the sink and just focused on breathing for a moment. Loki had altered his appearance once with her, and he had told her how it was supposed to feel, how you were supposed to think. But what had taken him barely fifteen seconds had taken her nearly one and a half hours.

She walked out of the bathroom and watched as Natasha's eyes widened and she looked her up and down.

"Impressive, you have a Lea Seydoux vibe over you." Natasha said and continued to examine Darcy's new appearance. Her blond short hair (fashioned after the target's known paramours), her wider jaw, thinner nose and higher brows made enough small differences to create a big difference, that is what Loki used to say.

Darcy smirked and turned to the bed where Natasha had put the silver dress she had procured during the time Darcy un-darcified herself. Darcy threw off her t-shirt and started to change in. And while Natasha wasn't prude, far from it, she was still taken aback by the act that Darcy didn't seem to think anything of. Subtle things like this betrayed the other Darcy within her, the one that was probably used to changing in front of maids or other, Natasha assumed she had maids. She was engaged to a prince for god's sake.

When Darcy's voluptuous body was within the skin tight silver dress she did a quick turn around the room before picking up the matching clutch. "Let's go" Darcy smiled and started to leave the room but Natasha quickly grabbed her wrist.

"Do you want to check the results before we go?" Nat asked and Darcy couldn't stop her gaze from going to the bathroom door that was slightly ajar. Darcy swallowed hard before turning to her friend.

"No" Natasha nodded and let go of her wrist.

"Then let's get you out of here"

* * *

"Okay, Darcy we're good to go" Hill's voice sounded in the earpiece, covered as an elaborate earing, in Darcy's ear. And so Darcy entered the bar area of the swanky hotel, she entered from the stairs so that she really would look like she was a guest at the hotel and make her less conspicuous. She strolled over to the bar and made a show of looking for a seat before setting her eyes on Crauss, who was seated on one of the barstools. She made a show of looking him up and down, because she knew that his bodyguard would see it. She walked over to him and then sat down on the stool next to him. She saw him side eye her and straightened her back more so that her breasts would catch his attention.

" _Now for the seven second wait, if he doesn't talk to you now it's up to you to create a conversation opener_ " Natasha's voice rang out in the earpiece.

"Seven second wait?" Steve interrupted, sounding confused.

" _It's the amount of time it will take for him to assess her as a sexual object and decide to engage with her_ " Clint chirped in and she could almost feel Steve blush at the language.

_"_ _Does it work?"_

_"_ _There can be exceptions"_ Natasha said with an audible grin.

Darcy took a deep breath in. 4…5…6…

"The bartender is incompetent" Crauss said and Darcy did her best to hold down her rapidly beating heart, and looked at him with a surprised look. "You'll have to wait for an eternity to get a drink around here" Crauss said with a swig of his drink.

" _He's a complainer, use that to bond_ " Natasha shot in and Darcy rolled her eyes with a small smile.

"Oh great, I was told that they had the best drink around at this hotel, but what's the use of such a reputation if you don't serve them"

" _Darce why are you british_?" Clint snorted and Natasha shushed him.

"Exactly" Crauss said eyeing her up and down and she pretended not to notice. "You british?" Darcy nodded with a seductive smile. "What brings you to town then? Business or pleasure?"

"Ah, I don't understand why people assume that they are mutually exclusive. I prefer to mix the two" Darcy purred and turned her stool more towards him so that her high heels dragged against his shin gently. "Oh sorry" She whispered and moved her leg back just a little to lose contact.

" _Nice_!" And this time it was Steve and Clint who shushed Natasha.

But despite Natasha's exclamation of positivity the look Crauss gave her was more suspicious than anything else. The bartender came over and Darcy was grateful for something to move her attention to as she ordered her drink.

"What is it that you do?" Crauss asked and Darcy glanced at him with a smile before taking her gin and tonic and sipped it.

" _He's getting suspicious_ " Steve murmured. _Yeah no shit!_

"Should we really discuss work before knowing each other's names?" Darcy said hoping it sounded relaxed and flirty enough.

"Nicholas" He said, still not really relaxing.

"Oh I love that name" Darcy purred "And your accent…European?"

"German" He said and Darcy raised an eyebrow.

"Oh fancy, German always sounded so rough to me…but that can be fun at times" She said with a little laugh and she saw something change in his eyes, like he just realized something. And she hoped the camera in her necklace saw it too.

"And your name is?"

"Elizabeth"

_"_ _I understood that reference"_ Steve piped in with a loud smirk.

_"_ _Keep your Austen panties on Cap, we're not out of the woods yet"_ Clint murmured, and judging by the smirk on Crauss's face something she wasn't going to like was coming.

"Tell me Elizabeth, are you a prostitute?" Darcy's eyes widened significantly and the radio silence in her ear told her the question had taken the other's by surprise as well. But Natasha quickly got a grip on things.

" _Sip your drink now to get your shit together and then confirm it, we're going with this_ "

Darcy brought her glass to her lips and sipped to still her heart and then put it down. "You are more observant that most aren't you?" She asked with a small smirk, and that obviously pleased hm.

" _Stroke his ego more, he's not angry about this which probably means that…he plans to take advantage of your supposed services_ " Steve said, although he was having difficulties talking about his friend in this way.

"Judging by the way you look and how quick you assess people…I'll guess you're a military man" Darcy said and Crauss smirked.

"Perhaps. But you are definitely a prostitute"

"I prefer high end escort" Darcy said, trying to sound offended, which wasn't that hard "I am far above those who can be called common prostitutes"

"And what makes you so special?" Crauss asked, putting a hand on her thigh and squeezing, making her wince internally.

"I won't exchange trade secrets at a bar, but if you want…I can show you" She said and slid off her stool. "I have a room"

"For what cost?"

_"_ _Hook, line and sinker. Got him"_ Steve said and Natasha hummed in agreement.

"The first hour would be for free" Darcy said with a smile "If you pay for my drink." He snorted out a laugh and fished out his card "The rest we'll negotiate in a more private setting" Darcy said and put her hand on his tie and leaned closer. "Deal?"

"Deal" He answered and went in for a kiss but Darcy backed away and he looked insulted by the act.

"Kiss me and the free hour starts now, save if for upstairs and make it last" She said with a wink and he chuckled and paid the bill.

When they turned to walk away she heard Natasha murmur about him waving away his security.

…

The key card clicked in the door and Darcy stepped into the black room, relieved that the mission was about to be over and she could get away from this creep. She quickly walked straight ahead to the other side of the room so to avoid being in the way of the others taking him down.

"Hey where's the light switch-" His question was interrupted as a gag went over his mouth and through it he gurgled in protest and then in pain as a syringe was pressed into the veins in his neck. When Steve turned on the light Clint and Nat let the now unconscious Hydra agent fall to the floor, gag still on and Clint reached down to cuff his hands together.

"Nice work Darcy" Steve said and Natasha nodded with a smile at her. Darcy just felt uncomfortable, and without realizing it the magic slipped away from her and her true appearance returned. Much to the awe of the midgardians in the room.

"What do we do now?" Darcy asked and Steve said something into his mic, Natasha helped hold the guy's head up so Clint could get the hood on.

"Now we get out through the window" Clint said and he and Natasha stood up, holding Crauss up from both sides. As the spies worked on opening the window and attaching rope which would get them down to the now waiting van, Steve gave her a bag with back up clothes, just a sweater and jeans.

"Thanks" Darcy murmured and then started to switch clothes, the super solider turning around with a blush on his face which Darcy thought was cute, she was wearing a bra and panties after all.

"Steve, don't think you crashed into the ocean for nothing. Just because Hydra is back doesn't mean you lost anything" Darcy said and put a hand on his shoulder, he turned around to her and gave her a weak smile.

"Thanks Darcy"

They both looked at the spies getting the target hooked up to be lowered down to the truck when something faster than lighting pierced through Crauss's chest, blood spattered over Clint and Nat who threw themselves to the floor. Steve grabbed Darcy's hand and pulled her to the floor under him. The windows exploded in glass shrapnel as bullets rained through into the hotel room, and soon more gunfire followed from outside and the bullets stopped flying into the room.

"Clint, Nat?" Steve said and he peeked over the bed to where they were hiding by the wall under the windows.

"We're good, just glass shrapnel" Nat answered and Steve flew up and ran to the window to look outside.

"Where is he?" Steve shouted into the mic and without Darcy hearing what was said Steve jumped out of the window over to the building across from them and started to climb to the roof. Darcy ran over to the window and watched as Steve started to run on the roof, disappearing from sight.

"We have to get out" Clint said and helped Natasha up to standing position. "Darcy" He hugged her to him and then attatched his belt to the rope outside the window and they were wired down directly into the car below, Natasha followed after them and gave a hard tug at the rope which then fell down into the car. Except the body in the completely shot to hell apartment there was no trace of them.

Darcy could hear the agents driving the car calling for backup from Tony and Fury and Hill threw some bandages at Natasha as they drove towards whatever direction they thought Steve was going in chasing after the shooter.

Darcy helped applying the bandages as Hill questioned Natasha and Clint.

"They knew we were going to take him and they took him down before us" Clint growled.

"He was a loose end, they knew he would lead them to the rest of them. They were tidying up after themselves" Natasha said and Hill rubbed her forehead in annoyance.

"Let's hope the Captain catches the shooter" She said. The roar of the engine was suddenly overshadowed as a wave of heavy thunder sounded around them.

Hill smiled "Backup has arrived" she made plans where to drop Clint and Natasha, they were still fighting ready, but while the rest of them were glad to have Thor arrive, Darcy could only imagine the earful she would get when they were out of this mess. Brothers…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the idea of Darcy being a spy/agent so I just had to incorporate that in my story in someway. There is a truly amazing story about Loki/Darcy as spies where they have to pretend to be a couple, can't remember what it's called but it is truly GOLD.


	25. 25

_They say love is a journey, I promise that I'll never leave._   
_When it's too heavy to carry, remember this moment with me._   
_I get to love you, I get to love you,_   
_I get to love you._

_-I get to love you_

"Yes Thor, I get it. I was in danger, but I'm fine so could you please calm down" Darcy said as she sat in the infirmary where Helen Cho and some other medical staff were patching them up. Despite Steve covering her during the window blast she still came out with minor shrapnel damage and some bruises but she was the one with the least injuries. She glanced at Natasha who's bare torso was covered in bruises and a flesh wound in her shoulder that Cho's machine was currently healing. The technique was similar to the soulforge on Asgard and Darcy made a mental note to herself to discuss it with her later.

Thor was pacing back and forth. "No I will not calm down! We are going back to Asgard tonight as soon as your injuries are taken care of, I will not have you involved in a conflict that doesn't concern you or place you in danger"

"I know I'm not directly involved but we can't just leave Steve, not after this! Hydra coming back is one thing but to find out his friend, his once dead friend, is a pawn…I can't imagine how he must feel right now" Darcy said. She had only seen Steve briefly when they had come back to the tower, the super soldier had looked terrible and not just because his uniform was ruined and he looked like he had gotten a serious beating, but because of the pale horror on his face. The disbelief and wonder she had seen had confused her at first, but when Tony told her that the shooter's mask had slipped during the chase and it turned out to be Bucky Barnes, a name familiar to anyone who knew the history of Captain America, Darcy suddenly understood what a hell Steve went through.

"And what of Loki?" Thor asked which made Darcy's thoughts stop instantly. _Loki._ And in the same instant she remembered the pregnancy test waiting in her room.

"If you wonder if I have forgotten my future husband, I have not. But I will not leave until I am sure that Steve is alright."

"Alright may be a long shot" Natasha mumbled from her place on Cho's machine, and Darcy sighed.

"Maybe, but I'll still try to get him there" She jumped off the bench and straightened her black sweatpants and grey shirt before heading out.

"This must suck for her" Natasha said when the door closed and Thor walked over to sit on the chair next to her.

"Loki's punishment is her punishment by proxy, I'm sad to see her so disheartened" Thor said and Natasha looked up at the blond Norse god.

"That too. But I'm talking about her being the child of two worlds" Thor frowned at her.

"Darcy is only a child of Asgard, it is her birthplace"

"The Asgardian Darcy perhaps, but earth Darcy was born here" Thor was about to protest but Natasha interrupted him "I know you're going to say that it was only an illusion, but be that as it may she's still connected to earth, to all of us. And leaving a place she has called home isn't as easy as you think it is just because you know she wasn't really born here."

Thor stayed silent for a while before sighing "I understand your perspective on the issue"

"But you don't like it" Natasha said with a smirk and Thor raised an eyebrow and Natasha let out a laugh, despite it hurting her shoulder like a bitch. "So, are you both going to teleport down once or twice a month? Participate to the Avengers when your dad allows you some extra free time?"

Thor remained silent and Natasha frowned slightly. "Or are you both going to stay in Asgard from now on?"

"It is a complicated issue, one that I have given much thought to. Jane is here, as well as the Avengers. And I have vowed to protect earth…but my destiny to inherit the throne of Asgard still plagues me heavily…"

Natasha started to realize where his thoughts were going and was both weary and interested in the plan she suspected he had. "It's a shame you don't have a brother you could pass it to" She said and saw Thor's lips turn into a small smirk before he met her gaze, with a surprisingly mischievous look in his eyes.

"As I said, it is a complicated matter to which I have given much thought" He placed his much bigger hand on Natasha's hand resting against her side. "But do not give my issues too much thought, you must rest and let this miracle machine work to heal you to your full strength" His words were heartfelt, she could tell, but she could also hear the meaning behind his words when coupled with the look he gave her. _Do not tell anyone else._

Natasha smiled "Of course. Don't let Darcy leave without saying goodbye to me" Thor nodded at her and then left, and she was left with the quiet Korean doctor and her beeping machine. Pondering the image Thor had put in her mind, of her wacky hacker friend as the queen of Asgard, and the psycho she loved the King. Natasha sighed and relaxed waiting for the machine to do its job. Thor's plan would either give them relative peace and cooperation with Asgard, or complete and utter hell from his psycho brother.

* * *

Darcy let the silence between her and Steve rest for a while longer. They were sitting in one of the sofas, with bullet holes in them, in the ruined top floor of the tower.

"You don't have to say anything Darcy" Steve said softly, not lifting his gaze from his hands. "There is nothing you could say to make me feel better, but I appreciate it" Darcy let her head fall against his shoulder, and stayed quiet for a moment longer.

"I lost time" Darcy said, following the movement of the plastic tarps covering the broken windows as it swayed slightly in the wind. "I was gone for six years, with a completely different mind inside me no less, and the world I had known had changed completely. The people I knew changed, the man I loved was…in a bad place" Darcy sighed and looked up at Steve who was glancing down at her. "Despite our circumstances being very different, I understand some of it, and if you need to talk I'll listen"

Steve sat quietly for a while before speaking "Bucky is your Loki"

Darcy laughed a little "Yeah, in a manner of speaking. Don't know if you were going to marry Bucky though were you?" She asked teasingly, trying to find some way to make him smile.

Steve scoffed out a small laugh and Darcy fist bumped herself, "Can I tell you a secret Darcy?"

"Of course you can"

"I have never told anyone this but I think you'll understand" He looked down at her with a small smile "You seem to sympathize with broken people"

"You're not broken Steve, maybe a little lost but never broken"

He smiled to himself for a moment before looking at her "When I first met you I had a bit of a crush on you" Darcy gaped and put a hand on her chest.

She then put on her southern accent like she always did when trying to mimic Steve's older way of speaking, she didn't know why, it just felt right. "Oh my stars! Captain America you dog!" Steve shook his head with a smile and Darcy laid off the act. "If you'd told me at the time I would have gone for you"

"It worked out for the best then, otherwise I would have had an angry norse god of mischief on my ass"

"Language" She smiled, but then returned to the conversation "What does that have to do with anything?"

Steve sighed again. "You reminded me of someone, from my time before the ice. With your easy smile and happy attitude coupled with your independence and belief in other people…you made me so homesick"

"Do you mean Peggy?" Peggy Carter was mentioned frequently in Steve's file and Darcy had looked her up, one of the founders of Shield, and stunningly beautiful. She guessed there was a certain likeness between them.

"In a way yes, but not really…But now that you mention it, I do seem to go for brunettes. You reminded me of Bucky" Darcy said nothing and for a while Steve didn't either, but when he did his voice was thicker than before. "I thought I turned to stone when I saw his face tonight, I think I understand what Loki might have felt when he saw you atop of the tower after being without you for so long…and like with you and Loki, Bucky didn't recognize me either."

Darcy's mouth fell open just slightly, and she reached out to take Steve's hand which he took gratefully.

"He was…He was everything. And now he doesn't remember me, what we fought for. I thought he died…" Steve trailed off and Darcy felt tears pool in her eyes. Somehow when Steve spoke it was if a mirror image of Loki had been presented to her, this was what Loki had felt, the same hopelessness, the same fear, the same complicated loss of a loved one who upon reuniting had no memory of you.

_I think I understand what Loki might have felt when he saw you atop of the tower…_

"Steve, were you in love with Bucky?" Darcy asked quietly and wrapped her arms around his huge frame as well as she could. Steve didn't say anything, just stared straight ahead despite the tears pooling in his eyes.

"I need a plan, how do I fix this?" Steve ignored her question and when he looked down on her he looked much much younger than his ninety years. "How do I get him back? How do I defeat Hydra, again?"

Darcy was about to answer when her phone started to ring and when she dug it out of her pocket she looked at the screen, _Thor_ , she dismissed the call.

"Darcy you should leave, he will get worried"

"You are my friend and I won't leave you when you're sad"

"Won't you older brother disagree, Space princess?" Steve said, trying to keep up appearances of being fine.

Darcy snorted out a laugh "Shut up"

They rested in comfortable silence for a while longer before the elevator door behind them slid open and Thor stepped out. The thunder god walked over to them silently before stopping in front of Darcy.

"Natasha wants you to see her before you leave" Darcy's eyes widened as she remembered what was waiting in her room, what Natasha obviously wanted to know right now.

"Of course. We'll leave from here?" Thor seemed surprised by her cooperation and just nodded. "I'll be right back" She then ran over to the elevator. She made the slow travel down to the 50th floor and then she remembered something.

"Jarvis?"

" _Yes miss Lewis_?" Darcy smiled at the familiar voice of the AI butler.

"Where is Tony?"

" _In his lab, Miss Lewis_ "

"Good, send him a message saying that I'll see him before I leave"

" _Of course miss_ "

"Thank you Jarvis"

"… _Miss Lewis, can I just say, that it has been a pleasure having you here, and I'm dismayed to see you leave_ "

Darcy almost felt her eyes tear up at that. "I'm going to miss you too Jarvis"

" _Thank you Miss Lewis_ "

"Call me Darcy"

" _Darcy, thank you_ "

* * *

The doors to the infirmary opened and Darcy stepped in, greeted by Natasha's small wave from where she was still laying, Cho's machine buzzing over her. Darcy sat down next to the red head who followed her movements attentively.

"Feeling better?" Darcy asked and Natasha nodded.

"The doc's machine seems to be doing what it should, I should be able to get up and moving in about fifteen minutes or so"

"Good…"

The silence between them stretched out for a long time before Natasha took Darcy's hand. They looked at each other for a long time and then Darcy shook her head and Natasha let out a sigh.

"Are we sad about it?"

"I can't help but be, but a child would have been far too difficult to handle right now. With its father chained to a fucking pole, and being the illegitimate grandson of the allfather can't be easy" She had no doubt that both Frigga and Odin would have accepted a child born out of wedlock, they were engaged after all, but Loki's standing among the court (and hers) didn't need to be complicated further by a child.

Natasha squeezed her hand "Then I'm sorry Darcy"

"Thank you. Take it easy for me now, okay? I'll see you soon" Darcy said and leaned over to kiss the spy's forehead. Natasha reached out and took her hand.

"Will I?"

Darcy paused but nodded "Of course you will. You are my friend, the avengers is my quirky strange mixed family. I won't stay away for too long, I love all of you. But we'll see how it goes on Asgard, and when I can come back"

Natasha nodded "Alrighty then, better go before Thor comes and drags you away"

Darcy rolled her eyes as she stood up "He is taking this big brother thing way too seriously" With one last smile Darcy turned and left.

* * *

 

Darcy let go of Thor's hand as soon as they landed in the observatory, despite not having full control of her balance or sight yet. But when she slumped down on the ground and he reached for her she waved him away.

"I just need to sit for a while" Darcy sighed as she rubbed her forehead with one hand. But instead of making an attempt to stand she laid down on the floor. Thor exchanged a quick look with Heimdall before he dropped to his knees next to her.

"Darcy are you alright?"

Darcy remained silent and then closed her eyes "Yes, I'm fine"

He opened his mouth to speak but she beat him to it- "We don't have to talk"

"But I would prefer it if you spoke to me" Darcy pushed herself up from the floor to sitting position before she then rose to her feet. Which turned out to be quite a chore with her balance still reeling from the bifrost travel, and her long black dress was in the way and the skirt was a hazard.

When she was up she straightened her silver bracelets and wide silver belt. Before she started to walk out the wide open doors of the observatory. She could hear Thor walk beside her but they didn't speak for the longest time. They were almost at the castle, whose lanterns shone bright gold in the dark winter night, when Thor spoke.

"Tell me what's wrong"

"I don't know if you'd understand" Darcy said and hugged her arms around herself to keep warm.

"Even if I don't it might feel better to speak it out loud instead of letting it go round in your head"

Darcy paused as they walked past some guards at the outer gate. They bowed respectfully and Darcy felt uncomfortable.

" 4 days ago I was at my engagement feast" Darcy said and Thor stared at her in confusion, thinking of the event that happened nearly six years ago. "I was going to prepare for my wedding, marry Loki, be a princess of Asgard, bear children with black hair and green eyes and mischief to the bone, and live happily ever after with the love of my life..."

They walked past another set of guards.

"But six months ago I helped stop an alien invasion, carried out by my fiancée who I had no memory of, he killed people and caused mass destruction, was then trapped by shield and the avengers for six months, before he was taken to Asgard where his father sentenced him to be tied to a pole with his hands and lips sowed together for a year"

The guards in front of them dragged open the big gold oak doors and they stepped into the inner palace.

"The life I should have had in Asgard isn't the same anymore. I hear the whispers, and even if I shouldn't care, I still do. The things they say about Loki...I don't recognize this life, I have no place here that feels right anymore. And the life I do recognize and have a place in is on earth with my friends...But I can't leave Loki, at least I know that"

Darcy turned and looked at Thor. "I have people I love here, but the life I had before with the healing ward and secret meetings with Loki isn't happening anymore. And it scares me to have to find a way again"

"I can recognize some of what you speak of" Thor said and Darcy raised an eyebrow "the life I have been groomed for is perhaps not what I wish for anymore, I'm thinking of renouncing my claim to the throne"

Darcy gasped "oh my god! But who would-" her eyes widened even more.

"Loki has always been more schooled in politics and sovereignty than I. I'm a fighter, and Asgards throne doesn't need a fighter, it needs a thinker who understands other people, races, so that we can open up to other worlds and build friendships so that we together can fight all evils threatening our existence" Thor smiled. "Given that Loki passes the test of his punishment"

"And what if he doesn't?" Darcy asked and Thor sighed.

"He will, he has you now. That's all the incentive he needs"

Darcy sighed and continued to walk slowly through the corridor. "I think he wanted to be king so badly because he would get the power to revoke mothers and Heimdall's spell to hide you."

Darcy thought about it for a moment, thought about the sweet young man who lured her into the library and alcoves to sneak kisses and sweet promises. He had never told her he wanted to be king, he had thirsted after knowledge, not power.

"Perhaps he did. But even if he has me he has tasted power and I think he likes it more than he expected to"

"I think he deserves power" Darcy gave Thor an apprehensive look before he continued "he is the second born, meaning that he was never groomed to be king, even though his true birthright deemed him to be. He has grown up never expecting power, and has been powerless to stop several hurtful moments in his life. I should think he has earned it, if he is proved worthy"

"If he be worthy" Darcy mumbled and the continued to walk in silence before stopping in front of a door guarded by two heavily armed guards.

"I'll see you around" Darcy said and Thor smiled.

"I'll make sure you find a place again Darcy, a sister of mine will never walk alone" Darcy smiled thankfully at his words before he walked away, and she slipped through the opened doors to the dark courtyard.

It looked like he was sleeping. His black tousled hair was falling forward and he didn't look up when she came. She loosened her cape slightly as she walked towards him, and when she stopped before him she gently placed a hand over his heart. The touch made him stirr only slightly, and she stepped forward and hugged her cape around them both. She could see his pale skin shift in blue, and probably because he was cold, and his true more climate resistant skin was trying to protect him. His ribcage was traced in faint blue on his skin, as were his collar bones. When she draped the cloak around him he woke up and she felt him turn his head to her and nuzzle her hair.

"I wanted you to know that I'm back, and that I'm well" she whispered and he traced his nose over her cheek. "Are you cold?" He shook his head slightly but the coldness of his skin belied his action. "I'll bring a blanket or a cloak tomorrow to cover you with when I'm here. The guards probably won't let you wear it when I'm gone, but at least you'll have something for a couple of hours" he pulled back his head to look at her with something that looked like resignation.

"I'll be here everyday, I promised you that. All you have to promise me is that you'll hang in there, and I don't know...try to get better?" She couldn't tell him what to do, to not be evil? Loki nodded nonetheless and rested his forehead against hers. She looked at his sowed shut lips, they were less red and chapped as they had been the last time she saw them. So she carefully put her lips on his and kept them there to let him feel hers.

He sighed as a feeling like no other washed through him, relief and an overflow of love warmed his chilled bones as Darcy put her soft lush lips against his charred and raw ones. He wanted her to stay there, exactly as they were for rest of the year. With her purity and softness soothing his damaged soul.

The days passed but Darcy came everyday, no matter the weather. The servants placed a sofa almost in front of the pole every time she visited, when it rained they brought a parasol, when it snowed they brought blankets to cover her and she placed them on him. His magic seemed to keep her warm enough to make a thicker dress suffice as cover against the cold. She told him that soon it would be six months left, and he could feel the temperature changes in the air. As well as the sun burning his bare skin, making the blistered surface chafe against the pole.

She read him books, midgardian ones to distract him and pass the time. He quite liked the Harry Potter books, and he enjoyed the Shakespeare plays she read. She also read him poetry, which she loved to do and he loved to hear. She had a soft spot for William Blake, Shakespeare and E.E Cummings, although he had no idea who they were, but their writing was similar to her Asgardian favorites. And she made him listen to, and admit to enjoying, some midgardian musicians. The punishment seemed less like a punishment with her by his side. Even though he longed to touch her smooth skin, to lay beside her or wrap his arms around her body and feel it mold against his.

Loki had just slipped into a light slumber, the pounding rain that had started in the middle of the night had made it difficult to sleep, when the doors suddenly opened. Even though he had no idea what the time was he knew it would be much too late for Darcy to come and visit. He whipped his wet hair away from his face to see whoever was coming, and when he did he couldn't really believe it. Odin came walking towards him, a hand slightly raised to keep the rain from falling on him, the rain was suspended high in the air and Loki relished the relief from the constant wet hits.

When Odin stopped in front of him he said nothing. Instead he put a hand to Loki's face and he felt it burn angrily and groaned in pain. But as soon as the pain stopped his body flinched into movement. He could move his hands, they weren't sowed together anymore, nor were his lips.

Loki stared at Odin in confusion, why would he do this? They stared at each other in silence for the longest time. Both trying to predict the others next move and how to counter act it. But Odin was the first to act.

He turned and walked away. He didn't look back until he turned to close the doors behind him. One last look at his second son and then the doors shut.

_What the hell is this?_

Loki's first instinct was to run. It was in the middle of the night, he could get far before daylight came and revealed his escape-

_Darcy._

Loki swallowed hard and let the patting of raindrops lure him back to reality. If he ran he wouldn't get her back, and he had promised her he would try to be better.

_But what good would that do anyway?_

No, he had to stay. But the thought of months more of lips and hands sowed together in a blistering cold while never feeling the relief of his body relaxing from its standing prison was unbearable.

_But Darcy made it bearable._

Loki let out a breath and sank down to sit against the pole. While he waited for sleep to slowly take him he thought about his former father, how this test would make him feel. And what he would do to him when he found out the results.


	26. 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!  
> There will be violent descriptions in this chapter.

_Some people lie but they're looking for magic_  
_Others are quietly going insane_  
_I feel alive when I'm close to the madness_  
_No easy love could ever make me feel the same_  
_I know I could lie, but I won't lie to you_  
_Wherever I go, you're the ghost in the room_

_-Wherever I go_

Loki watched as the late spring sky turned from dark blue, to purple, to pink, to yellow, and just as a baby blue was inching in over the sky the doors to his outdoors prison opened and Odin stepped out once more.

Loki stood up to meet him, he refused to be looked down on by the man who called himself his father. When Odin stopped in front of him he just stared for a while, before letting out a shaky sigh and a smile, and placed his hand on Loki's cheek.

"What comes now, now that you proved that you accept this punishment, is your true redemption. You have come halfway, and this part will be the hardest. Darcy is forbidden to come to you, you need to do this on your own. You will witness your actions on earth, and hopefully understand the humans. Earn a new perspective on the lives of others."

"And should I pass?" He asked and cleared his throat, he hadn't spoken for six months and his throat burned at the spoken words.

"Then you have shown progress" Odin said and squeezed Loki's shoulder. Loki didn't know what to feel about this uncharacteristic display of affection from his so called father. Odin raised his hand towards Loki and Loki felt his limbs move to the pole again, as Odin chanted, Loki felt his hands and lips get sown shut once more, although far less painful than the first time it still burned like a bitch.

Odin the put his hand on Loki's forehead and closed his eyes in concentration, Loki was familiar enough with magic to feel the quiet, yet obvious, cold whisper of mind magic settle in his forehead. Odin moved away from him and was about to turn to walk out when he settled for a final statement, or encouragement.

"Be brave my son" he then watched the retreating back of his father disappear through the doors of the courtyard.

Loki had no time to contemplate what he was about to experience before his mind transported him elsewhere.

* * *

As soon as Odin stepped out of Loki's courtyard and the doors closed behind him, he heard her walk after him. Her heels klicking angrily against the floor.

"What did you do?" He turned his head to the side as he walked to look at his future daughter in law.

"That is none of your concern"

"You decided on a punishment already, you can't change it, you can't make it worse" she said and he stopped to look at her.

"Are you questioning my decision?" Darcy stared at him in silence, with such steel in her expression that she resembled her father who was known for the same expression.

"Loki has to learn to empathize with the humans, he needs to think of the consequences his actions bring. And he will not do that by simply being tied to a pole and count down the days until he gets back to you"

"Simply?-" Darcy started but Odin cut her off.

"And you know that I'm right. He needs more incentive to truly realize his actions" He turned away from her and started to walk away "Go back to your training, I will tell you when you get to see him. Stop moping at the door"

Darcy glared at his back as he left. Yes he might be right, but that didn't make her like the idea of Loki suffering for it more appealing. Darcy sighed and walked off in the direction of her bedroom, where she would spend eight months more sleeping alone.

* * *

Loki groaned as something shook his shoulder and riled him from his slumber, he lifted his head from the blue bedsheets to look into the big blue eyes of his girlfriend who also looked like she had just woken up.

"Simon wake up!" Loki pushed himself up to seated position.

"What is it? Morning sickness again?" Darcy shook her head and pointed at the TV at the opposite side of the bed with the remote.

"No! There is some sort of attack downtown!" Simon was now officially awake and turned his gaze to the TV which Nina was staring at with wide frightened eyes. What looked like some aliens straight out of the movie Alien were flying around, running after people on the streets, fighting the police, military and avengers. The camera moved to a black hole in the sky where something, he had no words for it but it was gigantic and the roar it gave shook through the television and he then realized that the sound could be heard from outside as well, it had to be close.

"Holy fuck!" Simon reached for Nina who was crying.

"Simon what are we going to do!" She cried and brought one hand to her stomach, over the baby, as she did every time she was worried.

"Get your things, wallet and car keys, we can't stay here-"

"But where can we go it looks like there are road blocks everywhere"

"We'll find a way-" A roar louder and more powerful than imaginable ripped through the apartment, Simon could feel his entire body vibrate when the sound went through him. He reached for Nina just as a shadow covered all the windows in the apartment, making the apartment pitch black.

Before he had even an idea of what happened a sound similar to an explosion ripped through the air, at the same time as he felt the floor give in under him and Nina's terror filled scream filled him with an unspeakable dread. His vision caught glimpses of their collapsing apartment as he fell down into another bout of darkness.

"SIMON!"

He started to cough violently as he tried to catch his breath from the fall, he had no idea how far he had fallen or where he was, but it must have been in one of the apartments below. Because something must have destroyed their apartment, right? He screamed in pain as his right leg was moved when he sat up, and when he looked down he saw his ankle in an unnatural angle. And his head must be bleeding, the blood on his face must be coming from a wound on his head.

The inside of his head sounded like an airplane, but through the haze he could focus on the thought of knowing that something was missing…someone.

"Nina!" He coughed as the scream hurt more than he expected, and when he cleared his throat he could feel the clear iron taste of blood in his mouth. "NINA!" _Darcy._

His eyes searched frantically for his girlfriend, she wasn't among the rubble around him. _Oh my god the baby,_ Darcy's baby.

"Nina! Baby where are you!" he bellowed until he coughed once more, spitting up blood. He tried to stand but his ankle, as well as the rest of his body refused to cooperate so he crawled over to the edge of the destroyed apartment three stories beneath theirs. He could hear sirens and screaming beneath him as he finally reached the edge and looked down. He could see people running, firetrucks and ambulances protected by army trucks with soldiers.

And then he saw the bright spot of pink laying on the sidewalk among huge chunks of concrete and glass around it. Her bright blonde hair was fanned out around her head, her pink t-shirt that she slept in still covering her, her small baby bump could still be seen stretching out the fabric. She could have been sleeping had it not been for the giant pool of blood beneath her and her wide unblinking eyes staring up at the 25th floor from where she fell.

"No, no please. NINA PLEASE!" _Please don't be dead Darcy!_

Loki cried until he couldn't breathe, and the hyperventilating soon led to him losing consciousness. Simon would be found at the edge 5 hours later by a helicopter looking for survivors among the rubble of the half destroyed building, he would be brought to the hospital but he would die from the internal bleeding he sustained from falling three stories.

* * *

Loki gasped as he opened his eyes, _what the hel was that_?. Still shaken from the previous dream he couldn't process where he was, but he knew that his head was hurting and that he was on the floor, and under a table?

"Mommy, daddy's awake" _No please not again_. He turned his aching head towards the child's hushed voice. The red headed little girl, she couldn't be more than seven years old, _Cassie_ , was hugged tightly against Darcy's chest, almost partly covered by her brown trench coat. Amanda, _Darcy_ , met his gaze with wide frightened eyes and then looked around. Looking around he deduced that they were hiding in a corner of a restaurant, there were people all around them huddled in a similar fashion, trying to hide from the monsters walking around bellowing at them in the middle of the room. _Chitauri_.

He had tried to stop them, he had fought. They had reached for Cassie, or Amanda, he couldn't be sure and he had stepped in between and gotten knocked out. Amanda must have dragged him into the corner to hide them under the table. He looked up at his wife of ten years and reached to take her hand.

"Are you alright, love?" Darcy took his hand and nodded, still clutching their daughter tightly to her body. Cassie didn't seem to understand what was happening, but that didn't stop her from being frightened. _She's turning 8 tomorrow_.

"They aren't doing anything, it's like we're hostages" Amanda whispered to him and Cassie looked up at her mother with a questioning expression, she didn't know what that meant. The creatures in the middle started to speak in their guttural screaming language and soon they started to scan the room and one of its gaze stopped at his family, specifically his wife and daughter. It growled something and started to make its way towards them, the people in the way being pushed to the side forcefully. Ryan, _that was his name,_ started to stand and put himself in the way of his wife and child. He would rather die than let anything bad happen to them.

He heard a window smash and something blue and fast zoomed by and crashed into the monster in front of him, making it drop to the ground instantly. And then he saw a man in blue throw himself at the other creature, _holy hell its Captain America!_ They were safe!

* * *

It was when the air started to grow colder that the dreams suddenly stopped, and when it did he could hardly believe it. He stood there, immobile, as he still shook from the previous dream.

He had been trapped under rubble, and had not been found, he had been left to die slowly in his stone hell.

But now he was back in Asgard, the air much colder than when he had last truly felt it, his mind trapped in dreams for so long that he hadn't felt the real world around him. Was it finally over? He had no answer but to wait and see if they came back, he stared at the sky feeling the tension in his body slowly melt away little by little when no dreams came. The near constant state of anxiety he had been in had taken an enormous toll on his body and he felt twitchy and tired from it. As soon as he realized that the dreams weren't coming back he fell into a deep sleep, his mind had been working through these dreams for he didn't know how long, never resting or catching a break from the horrible dreams.

When he woke hours or days later it was with a wind stroking his hair, or was it a hand. He wasn't as cold anymore either, but he wasn't warm. He forced his heavy eyes open and when he did he met the wide ocean blues that he loved so much.

His sigh of relief at seeing her again came out as a deep groan and he pressed his forehead against hers, and she wrapped herself tighter around his body with the blanket she had wrapped around him.

"Oh darling" She murmured and kissed his cheek and rest of his face and he relished her warm lips on his cold skin. "I have tried to see you, I really have. I have been at the doors every day since your father banned me"

Loki nuzzled her face with his own, memorizing it in case she wouldn't be allowed in anymore.

"What did he do to you? What's wrong?" her warm hands cupped his face and he realized that he was crying, his shallow breaths through his nose started to come in faster and faster and his lungs hurt. Darcy put her forehead against his and hugged him to her.

"Shhh, calm down love. Try to breath with me, I'm here" it took a while for his breath to return to normal, and for his tears to not flow so freely. He didn't know what it was that struck him, if it had been relief to see her safe and whole after seeing her in different shapes in his dreams in a constant state of hurt or danger, and even death.

"You only have a month left now, you can do this" Loki's eyes widened in surprise. A month left? How long had he been gone in dreams? "You can do this" Darcy pressed a light kiss to his lips. "I'll stay with you"

_Thank the gods._

* * *

The day of his release it was snowing heavily, he was freezing and was scared that his remaining magic would fail him and reveal his frost giant form. His other form handled the cold much better, but he couldn't let that happen, but he could feel himself slipping into it the colder it got.

The people present were his father's council, Eddard included, and his family. Darcy was wrapped up in a silver fur coat with his green cloak in her arms. The moment she walked in he had seen her study the people around her. Trying to cogue out people's opinion of him, if they would try to make him hang or free him. The council had votes, but Odin still made the decision.

Odin stepped in front of him slowly and stopped to stare at him. "Do you understand now?" Loki just nodded slowly, despite feeling the need to defy Odin to the end, but that would not get him to Darcy.

"Good" Odin moved his hand over Loki's mouth in a pulling motion and the gold thread in his lips, as well as hands, flew out. And he screamed both in surprise and pain.

When he looked again Odin moved to his council, and Darcy slowly made her way to him. All while glancing at the gathered council to see what their decision would be.

Odin turned around and looked back at him after some short deliberation with a for once hard to read council.

"You are deemed ready for a transfer to the dungeons, where you will stay for a hundred days. Your mind shows clear signs of repentance, and you no longer need the harsh conditions you find here" With that he turned around and walked away followed by his council.

Darcy ran forward along with his brother, as well as a couple of guards who feared he would escape or attack them. He took his first step in a year and fell forward into Darcy and then pulled up by his brother, Darcy wrapped his cloak around him and pulled his arm over her shoulder, as Thor did on his other side.

His magic had kept him from dying from the weather and starvation, but his body was weakened. His muscles had deteriorated and he was much much skinnier than before. Thor and Darcy led him into his rooms, the movements had made him dizzy and so the trip had taken a much shorter time for him than the others. He practically fell down on the bed and prayed for the dizziness to pass while he heard someone, probably Thor, tear through his wardrobe and throw some clothes out next to him on the bed. All while Darcy laid next to him and stroked his hair.

He moved his head to the side, despite the dizziness coming back when he did.

"Are you alright?" Darcy smiled at him and nodded.

"Of course I am. It's you I'm concerned about"

"Never better" she laughed and he felt a tired smile spread across his face.

"You're hopeless"

"I am" He smiled again and tried to push up to sitting but had to steady himself on his elbows for now. He looked at Thor who smiled at him, with something that looked like pride, but Loki elected to ignore it. He would feel too ashamed by it.

"What happens now?"

"You don't have much time, we are supposed to help you change and then we escort you to the dungeon"

Loki looked at Darcy and then back at Thor, who seemed to understand what Loki wanted and left with a nod to the both of them. Darcy wrapped her arms around Loki's much skinnier frame and laid down next to him and relished the feeling of his fingers sliding across the skin of her arms and neck and face.

"What did Odin mean, when he asked if you understood?" Darcy asked and Loki pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I have lived in dreams for a while now…different people, their lives, their final moments. I guess it was intended for me to learn to empathize with people of other races that I thought were below me."

Darcy was silent for a while before she leaned up and looked at him "And, do you?"

Loki remained silent for a while as he reached up and stroked her cheek with his fingers before tugging her chin down to his for a kiss.

"In some ways I can…but the means of how I came to the realization may not be approved by you" He smirked and Darcy frowned in curiosity.

"What realization?"

He twirled one of her raven tresses around his fingers with a smile. "That everyone has a Darcy, someone to love. And I took them away from them"

Darcy sat in shock for a moment before leaning down and kissing him deeply, he wove his hands into her hair and held her close, and tried to keep the burning tears behind his eyelids away from her.


	27. 27

_Kiss Quick, I've got a line out the door_   
_Who all think they can save me._   
_One by one they lay the world at my feet,_   
_One by one they drive me crazy._   
_She said "I know Love,_   
_and it's all push and shove,_   
_so stop talking_   
_and put your back into it."_   
_Loaded, oh my hands shook to hold it_   
_I turned her body on, I turned her body on myself._   
_\- Kiss quick_

_101 days later…_

The wedding was a grand affair, the hall was even more packed than at their engagement ceremony. But of course, a wedding between a long lost noble woman and a considered criminal was something many found themselves wanting to see. But Darcy couldn't bring herself to care as she looked into Loki's eyes.

The hundred days of relative comfort in the dungeon had brought back his usual shape, he was strong again and he wasn't as pale. And above all the biggest change was that he was indecently happy. He wore his golden armor and Darcy a splendid grey silver dress that every woman in the throne room envied. He tuned out his father as he watched Darcy before him. The swell of her breasts that the silver bodice teased him with, the deep hypnotizing scent of her lilac flower crown. Every thing about her drew him in, it was as if all his deepest fantasies and dreams had manifested into her, and this day when she would finally be his.

"Tonight we celebrate a new beginning, my son Loki, the crown prince of Asgard has truly made himself worthy of the crown through trials many would balk at facing. And he has made himself worthy of the love of Darcy from the noble house Nordenstierna. New beginnings is how we move on, how we as a the people of Asgard transcend through the ages as nothing can bring us to heel" Odin paused at the cheers from the audience. "May your lives be long, your children strong and your love steadfast" Odin said as he bound their hands together with a gold silk strip.

He tied a knot over their hands, a knot symbolizing the bond between them, and a knot that would have to hold throughout the night for the marriage to be accepted by Yggdrasil. Loki squeezed her hand among the silk and she smiled at him.

"I declare you husband and wife" Odin said in a much quieter voice than before and smiled at them both. "The crown prince and princess of Asgard!" He boomed out at the crowd cheered enthusiastically. Loki and Darcy turned towards the crowd, Loki bowed and Darcy curtsied.

"My little girl is all grown up" Tony said to Natasha, Bruce and Steve who were next to him. They shook their heads at him as they watched Darcy and Loki walk down the gold (why was everything gold?) stairs. Darcy looked like she was floating on a silver cloud, she looked over at Natasha with a smile, or possibly her family as the Avenger guests were placed with them.

Darcy's father turned around to look at Tony, his tall Asgardian frame towering over Tony as he looked down at the billionaire with a skeptic look.

Tony cleared his throat "Well, you have custody here I guess but I get the weekends" Eddard looked at him as if he was contemplating throwing him out and Natasha stepped in.

"Apologies, he's an idiot" She said with a sweet smile and Eddard raised an eyebrow at her in amusement before giving her a quick look and then turning around.

Steve, who had seen _that_ look turned to Natasha who looked surprisingly smug and Steve felt like facepalming (which was an expression Darcy taught him).

"You have got to be kidding me" Steve exhaled and Natasha elbowed him in the ribs, hard.

"I haven't done anything" She said innocently.

"Yeah, except think inappropriate things about Darcy's _father_ " Steve whispered as the crowd started to walk away, probably to the feast Darcy had talked about earlier.

Natasha shrugged "What can I say, I have a weakness for attractive silver foxes" She smirked at him and he glared at her.

"Don't think I didn't understand that phrase because I did and you should be ashamed"

* * *

 

The feast didn't have as many attendants as the ceremony, this was more private apart from a few important people here and there that Darcy hardly knew. She let herself relax in the loud warm atmosphere of the dining hall, she looked at Loki next to her who smiled as he spoke to Thor who regaled the table with something foolish Loki and he had done when they were younger. When he was finished the ones who had been listening laughed loudly, even Natasha couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Oh that doesn't hold a candle to what Darcy did when she was that age" Agnes declared as she sipped her mead and all eyes turned to her, and Darcy looked around her father who sat next to her to give her aunt a look.

"That's not necessary-"

"Darcy had a pet bilgesnipe" Agnes said and everyone, except Essa and the avengers, looked at her in shock. Even Loki, she hadn't told him that particular story. She took her cup and drank her wine and tried to ignore the way everyone tuned into her aunts story.

"One day Darcy escaped her teacher and ran into the woods by our home at the ocean border-"

"Which she was explicitly told not to" Her father added with a look down at her which she ignored, but she could feel Loki practically radiating with a sneaky kind of joy at hearing that she had some mischief in her after all.

"In the woods she found a bilgesnipe cub, probably born just a day or two earlier, with no mother anywhere to be found. So she wrapped it in her fur shawl and carried it home and took care of it to everyone's horror. What did you name him?" Agnes gave her a teasing look and Darcy rolled her eyes.

"Yggi" Darcy said over the rim of her cup and the name was received by both laughs and 'aw'ing.

"Of course. He then grew to be quite large in a very short amount of time, and one thing led to another and the right wing of the house suddenly collapsed after a particularly vigorous game of throwing a stick for him to fetch." Agnes finished and everyone laughed and Essa and Thor proceeded to tell the avengers what a Bilgesnipe was.

Loki leaned over and kissed her blushing cheek. "It seems you have a talent for taking in monsters" She turned her head and kissed his nose quickly which he smirked at.

"Not monsters. I try to love those who need it most, despite it being a Bilgesnipe" She said with a smile and Loki caught her lips in a kiss. Both pulled apart when her father cleared his throat, they would have to settle with holding hands for now.

Darcy looked at Jane who was in a conversation with Frigga and seemed to have gotten through the nervous phase you go through when you met the parents. Jane had tried to be more supportive, and Darcy really appreciated her for it. But there was still a gap between them that would take some time to fix. Jane belonged on earth, she knew that, and Darcy despite loving both earth and Asgard had her 'original' life here. It wouldn't be the same, they both knew it. And Jane's feelings about Loki were…mixed at times. And despite his moral compass not holding fast at times, Darcy would still defend him, and be there to keep him on the right track.

Not that he seemed to need it really. Thor and Loki had talked a lot while Loki was in the dungeon, his not stitched together lips not keeping conversation away anymore. Their relationship was on the mend, and Darcy couldn't be happier for them.

Thor wanted Loki's opinion on what to do, and Loki had answered honestly, without any scheme behind his answer that Thor should follow his heart, and do what made him happy.

So Thor had gone to Odin, and renounced his claim on the throne. Odin had not been happy, far from it. But as the months went by and his visits with both Loki and Thor became more frequent, he seemed reassured that the new crown prince was not unworthy of the name.

_"_ _You were both born to be kings"_ Odin said to them at one visit. And the phrase had haunted Loki more than intended. Darcy's frequent visits were filled with discussions about their eventual children, and if the Jotun genes were dominant enough to manifest in them…

But that was a worry for another day. She looked at her husband. His black sleek hair brushed away from his face, his high cheek bones, expressive green eyes and mischievous smile…She would love any child he gave her, whether it was blue or not.

* * *

 

Volstagg was the one who started it. His slow pounding on the wooden table echoed through the hall at first, and then Fandral and Thor joined in, together with the rest of the guests and Darcy felt herself blush at the noise of fists hitting the table. She knew exactly what that meant.

Tony, Natasha and Steve hammered on the table in confusion. Suddenly the pounding erupted into a cheer and Thor put his hands to his mouth to shout:

"Time for the bedding!" A teasing array of cheers, good luck wishes and wolf whistles followed the statement and Darcy blushed and tried to hide her face with her hair. Loki stood up and pulled back her chair, and she stood up, but before she could really walk her whisked her up into his arms, bridal style, to the soundtrack of even more cheers and whistles as he carried her away.

When the doors closed behind them the avengers turned to the warriors three across from them.

"So" Tony started "Ever heard of the earth tradition 'never have I ever'?"

…

Loki let his unbound fingers slide from her neck down to the small of her back where he used it to push her closer to him and kiss her deeply and Darcy could feel the whisper of his magic go down her spine as all fabric on her body fell down to her feet in a silk puddle.

All except the gold silk tying their left hands together, hanging by their side in a constant state of holding hands. Darcy backed over to the edge of the bed and leaned back to lie down, very careful to not pull their tied hands in a quick motion, she would like to avoid falling on her wedding night.

Loki kneeled on the bed between her thighs and leaned over her to look down at his bride. Her hair a black halo over the gold beadspread and her skin a smooth canvas for him to explore, inch by inch. He started at her lips, then trailed down her neck to her breasts where he enjoyed the gasps and back arching as a result of his teasing lips. He continued down her stomach and then all the way down-

"Oh Loki!" Darcy gasped and her back arched involuntary as his lips closed around her clit. She looked down and met his brief glance up at her before closing his eyes and sucking extra hard and she felt her legs twitch in response and she gripped the sheets, and Loki's hand in hers, hard. He continued to suck and lick until she was at the edge, her entire body vibrating with the need for _something_ to happen.

"I need more" Darcy gasped as he licked her and he removed his face from between her thighs, knowing what more she needed. She quickly rolled over onto her stomach and Loki grabbed her hips and pulled her ass to his cock and slid into her. He groaned as he filled her up and a shiver ran through his spine as he pulled out slightly and then started to pump into her. He brought their entwined hands to her clit and started to rub her and she arched her back even more which only made the angle much sweeter for the both of them.

Darcy came with a shuddering breath and fell down to her elbows, riding out her orgasm with Loki's continued pumping into her. She got up on all fours again so that he wouldn't have to lean over her so awkwardly, and then she angled her hips even more so that he reached her core. But instead of slamming into her he stopped to pull out. She looked back to see what he wanted and he caught her lips in a kiss as he did, his hands travelling to her breasts to squeeze them.

He pulled back and moved to lay down on his back and Darcy immediately climbed on top of him and slid down onto his cock. Loki grabbed her hips, his fingers holding onto the smooth skin there as he moved her hips back and forth to encourage her to move. And move she did.

Darcy stared down at him, her hair falling in her face as she rode him, fast and hard. His jaw clenching and his grip on her hips tightening more and more the closer he got. His mouth fell open in a silent gasp as he came and Darcy slowed her moves to a gentle rocking which made him shuddered as he continued to spill himself into her.

Hazy green eyes looked up to meet hers. "I love you, perhaps beyond what is sensible" He laughed and Darcy giggled and laid down next to him and cuddled up in his arms.

"I love you too" she said as she drew circles on his chest with her nails "It's a timeless love story" She said with a smile and he smiled back.

"It's a shame that the Vikings aren't around anymore, they would have made mad stories about our love"

Darcy snorted "I'll do fine without stories about us. They would probably get stuff wrong anyway"

"Alright, we'll write our own story" he said and rolled them over so that he was on top of her, he nudged her legs apart with his own and settled between them so that she could feel his growing…urge, against her. "The way we want it to be" He pressed a kiss to her lips and Darcy smiled.

"Sounds intriguing" She smirked as he kissed her neck.

"I was hoping you'd say that" He said and leaned up to kiss her nose "So let's get started shall we" He reached between them and let his finger slip between her folds.

"Chapter one" He murmured and slid back into her heat and Darcy brought their lips into a deep kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made up all wedding details in this story! This is not a representation of a viking wedding so don't think it is.  
> Only one or possibly two chapters (plus an eventual one shot...) left. And thank you all so much for your sweet reviews, keep telling me what you think, I'm always so happy to read them.  
> Coming up...A fluffy one.


	28. 28

_I met you in the dark_  
_You lit me up..._   
_You made me feel as though_   
_I was enough..._

_-Say you won't let go_

"So is Darcy ever going to leave her room, or are they to be trapped there until they produce a baby?" Tony wondered out loud in a haughty voice which made Sif roll her eyes and Volstagg laugh. The avengers had been escorted around the palace by the warriors three, Sif and Thor ever since Darcy disappeared into her room with Loki two days earlier. Thor had likewise disappeared with Jane and so the warriors three and Sif had been left to entertain them.

"For a happily married couple it can be expected to remain shut off from the world for a while" Volstagg said, reminiscing over his own wedding, especially the wedding night and the week they spent locked in their room. He sighed and Tony gave him a look.

"Right so while they are continuing their marathon, what are we going to do?" Tony asked and the warriors looked at each other before looking at the avengers with small smirks on their faces.

"Well" Fandral said carefully "We have been curious if the earth standards in fighting, that Thor speaks so highly of, really are as incredible as he makes them sound"

The avengers looked between each other before Steve turned to the Asgardians, raised an eyebrow and asked "Is that a challenge?"

"Depends, are you frightened?" Sif asked with a smile, crossing her arms over her chest and cocking her head to the side as she studied the attractive captain in his strange clothing.

"Tony did you bring your suit?" Natasha asked, never taking her eyes off Hogun, who's eerie calm and suddenly dangerous air made her instantly ready to fight him, despite the amused glint in his eyes.

"Yes" Tony said and switched on his metal bracelets that called the rest of his suit to him.

Natasha smiled and looked at Sif who smiled back, at the same time as her hand moved to her sword hilt strapped to her back.

"Then let's make some magic" Natasha announced just as Tony's suit wrapped itself around his body and Steve swung his shield around to hold in front of him.

* * *

Despite the "play" fighting the majority of them still ended up sore and bruised in some places and decided to call of the fight for today, but laughingly agreed to try it again tomorrow. They had gathered quite the crowd as they fought in one of the courtyards, but none of them had seen Darcy and Loki in the crowd.

They received congratulations on their wedding and respectful bows, Natasha noted that the king's decision to make Loki the heir to the throne wasn't being questioned as she thought it would be. But Thor had been pretty vocal of his support for his brother so maybe that was enough for the Asgardians…

Darcy smiled widely as she walked over to her bruised friends, Loki walking after her and being careful to give her space to interact with her friends so that his presence would not alter their behavior around her.

"I came to find you to eat dinner, but I see you kept yourself busy without me" she smiled as she wrapped her arms around Natasha in a hug. Natasha met Loki's gaze over Darcy's shoulder and yet again confirmed something they both knew, they didn't like each other.

"I could chug some mead right about now" Tony said, slightly out of breath and Volstagg laughed and clapped him on the back which made Tony's eyes pop out slightly in surprise at the force he used.

They all walked together to one of Darcy's favorite hang out spots, a balcony overlooking the golden roofs of the palace and a perfect view of the ocean and bifrost. They got their different drinks, they decided to have a social drink before eating dinner.

They sat down in various couches, except Loki who leaned against the railing, arms crossed and trying to have as little impact on the situation as possible. Darcy smiled at him and kissed his cheek before she sat down on the nearest couch with Essa, who joined them on the way, and Steve.

"So Darcy, are you fertilized yet?" Tony asked as he sipped his mead, while Fandral, next to him, snorted out his through his nose as he coughed/laughed. Sif glared fiercely at them and looked at Darcy, as if asking her if she should cut their heads off. And while that question was rude and untoward, especially when you asked a princess of another realm…that was just how Tony worked. Darcy smiled at Sif and rolled her eyes, making the tall warrior pout and continue to glare at them.

"Really Tony" Steve sighed and rubbed his forehead in embarrassment.

"Oh its fine" Darcy said with a wave of her hand, before she smirked with a raised eyebrow and said "He hasn't made any progress fertilizing Pepper yet so he's just wondering how to do it" She put a hand on Loki's thigh and looked up at him with sarcastic sweetness. "If you could give him some tips dear, I'm sure he'd do wonderfully with your help"

Loki snorted and held back a laugh, content to just smirk and study his fabulous wife as she turned back and looked at Stark.

"That's low Lewis, don't go for the questionable fertility card" Stark said and shook his head, while Fandral wiped mead from his beard.

"How about we quit the subject?" Sif said and Tony rolled his eyes.

"Come on, it's not like we don't know what they have been doing for the last two days. It's a relevant question" Tony said, a look of innocence on his face that made Darcy laugh.

"But it is hardly an appropriate question" Volstagg added and Sif held up her cup in a toast to him which he smiled at.

"Fine what do Asgardians talk about?" Tony asked and the Asgardians looked between each other, before Fandral finally shrugged.

"Basically the same thing, with fighting, battles and drunk tales. We just don't talk about royalty like that"

Steve jumped in "What about Thor?"

Fandral frowned "…Fine, we don't talk about female royalty like that"

Tony groaned and pointed at Darcy who sat there smirking, sipping her wine. "Then what am I allowed to tease her with?"

"Oh you can't touch thiiiiis" Darcy said in a teasing voice and did a funky dance in her seat that made Essa laugh and Loki smile at her.

Tony stared at her in concentration, trying to find something to tease her with and Darcy met his concentrated frown with a narrow eyed look of her own. All while the others around them studied the exchange warily.

Tony's expression changed and he leaned back, almost looking pleasant. "I have to say Darcy, Asgardian fashion really suits you"

Darcy raised an eyebrow at him before she looked over her dark shimmering red dress. Her new position apparently required her to wear more jewelry, so instead of just a silver belt at her waist and around her forearms, she wore a silver choker necklace which texture looked like snakeskin (Loki's signature animal), and two rings, one in silver with the star lily of house Nordenstierna, and one in gold with the image of Yggdrasil, for the royal Asgardian family. It may not have appeared as much to some girls, but it certainly was a change for Darcy.

She looked up at Tony suspiciously "Thank you"

Tony nodded "Absolutely. Your breasts are hanging out more than usually" While Sif, Natasha, Essa and Steve (the cutie) looked at him with look of ' _really?_ ', the warriors three avidly tried to not stare at the mentioned breasts, and Darcy threw her head back and laughed.

When she recovered she put her hands on the underside of her breasts and pushed them up slightly "I know they're amazing" She laughed before dropping them and drinking her wine again.

"Certainly your best feature" Tony joked and Loki turned and glared at him.

"Watch it Stark" he growled and Tony gave him a look of sarcastic obedience as he threw up his hands in a surrendering move.

"Take a chill pill, I'm practically her father. And besides, it's just her second best feature"

Darcy frowned at him "Second best?"

Tony didn't answer, because Thor stepped out onto the balcony with Jane next to him.

"How has your day been my friends?" Thor boomed and then walked over to Loki after getting some responses from the warriors three and the avengers. They reached for each other as if they were going to shake hands but they grabbed each other's forearms instead. Darcy studied the exchange intently, as well as the rest of the people present to see it.

Thor smiled, even though he tried to hold it back, and leaned forward and put his forehead against Loki's. Loki leaned into Thor's forehead with his own and Darcy smiled at the sweet exchange. They pulled apart and a faint smile spread across Loki's face and Thor put his hand on his shoulder before he looked at Darcy and then back at Loki again.

"So brother, have you been productive these last few days? Is there a princess or prince in the making?" Thor said and waggled his eyebrows at both Loki and Darcy, and Darcy burst out laughing and Loki smirked, even though he tried to hide his satisfaction at the question.

"Oh so it's okay when he says it?" Tony said with an exaggerated frown on his face and Darcy laughed harder.

* * *

Loki and Darcy walked the long way back to their room after dinner. The comfortable silence allowed them to just appreciate their newly found freedom to just be together. Loki ran his thumb over the side of her hand and Darcy lifted his arm over her head as she stepped into his side and he dropped his arm over her shoulder and held her to him.

They stopped walking and Darcy leaned her head back to look at her husband. "I love you"

Loki reached up and caressed her cheek, "I love you too…and I will let you go with your friends if you want to, tomorrow"

Darcy stared at him with wide eyes. Steve, Natasha and Tony had decided to go back to earth tomorrow morning. Thor and Jane were leaving as well.

"You will?" Loki swallowed and his jaw clenched but he nodded.

"The thought of you leaving isn't…pleasant. But I can't keep you to me forever just because of my insecurities, and I want you to be happy"

Darcy smiled and rose up on the tips of her toes to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him deeply.

She leaned back slightly to kiss his nose "I'm happy here with you. It means a lot for you to say that, but I won't be going with them tomorrow"

"No?" Loki asked, sounding far too hopeful for his own liking and Darcy smiled and shook her head.

"Nope. It's still our honeymoon, I couldn't possibly leave you now. And besides, we should probably get going with producing an heir to the throne, right?"

Loki's gaze darkened slightly and he picked her up, she shrieked in surprise before she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"We should yes" He walked into the neatly cut maze at the other side of the garden and Darcy giggled in his arms and started to kiss his neck as he walked. After a moment Loki stopped and Darcy slid down to the ground. He sat down on a marble bench and his hands shot up under her dress, he let out a shuddering breath and looked up at her with a smirk on his face.

"You are far too good to be true" Darcy smirked as his fingers started to rub her clit, her absence of underwear making his job so much easier. Darcy held onto Loki's shoulders and gasped as he slid in one of his fingers. She rubbed against his hand wantonly and Loki leaned forward to kiss the tops of her breasts at the same time as his free hand grabbed her ass and pulled her closer to him.

"Get your cock out" her whisper sent shivers down his spine and he immediately moved his hand from her ass to fumble with the leather lacing to his pants. Darcy leaned down and held it firmly and Loki felt her spread his pre cum over his tip. She straddled his lap, her dress fanning out to the sides, leaving her front deliciously bare to his gaze. She sank down on his cock with a naughty smile on her lips and he continued to rub her clit as she rode him, his other hand squeezing her ass and steadying her.

"You're so fucking beautiful" He murmured, but Darcy was far too wrapped up in the sensation of his hands and cock to give a sensible answer. She started to wail sweetly when she got closer to coming and Loki rubbed her more.

Darcy tried to be quiet as she came, and instead gripped Loki harder than before and held her breath. In her silence Loki's hurried breaths became more apparent as he continued to grind into her and Darcy recovered more to swirl her hips around him. She felt him spill himself inside her and his eyes closed and his head fell back in pleasure.

They stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other close. But Darcy started to get colder and so pressed her lips to Loki's.

"Let's go to bed, it's starting to get chilly here."

"Anything you say" Loki smiled up at her, and he truly meant it, anything she said he would do. If only to get a smile from her sweet lips.

* * *

The Avengers, Jane, Thor, Loki and Darcy gathered in the Observatory to say goodbye. Once again Loki hung back to let Darcy socialize as she wanted without ruining the mood.

Darcy wrapped her arms around Steve's huge frame, then Natasha and then Tony walked up to her and she hugged him with a smile.

"Take care now. And propose to Pepper for god's sake"

Tony snorted "Yeah I'll work on that. And if I can ever stop fighting I might have time to propose to her"

Darcy looked at him with a frown "Are you going to quit?"

"Not yet, but…I'm working on something, we can't fight forever and I'm just thinking up a back up plan" Darcy nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, don't fuck it up"

Tony snorted out a laugh "Focus on popping out some royal babies and I'll worry about my business" Darcy hit his arm with a smile and Tony walked over to Steve and Natasha, and with a last wave and a last air blown kiss, they were beamed down to earth.

Thor walked over and kissed her cheek "I'll see you soon sister, take care of my brother"

"Take care of yourself now" Darcy said and then turned her gaze to Jane, who seemed to shine in her gold dress.

"Have fun in London, and don't drive, the left sided traffic will fuck you up even more than normal traffic does" Darcy smiled and they hugged briefly.

"I'll stay off the road…You can come visit me anytime, really. We can just eat ice cream and talk"

Darcy smiled, a genuine smile. "I'd love to. Don't forget to eat, set alarms on your phone now that I won't be there to remind you. And stay away from lightning storms and life destroying eclipses and stuff like that"

Jane laughed "I'll try" Jane then looked over Darcy's shoulder at Loki. "Take care Loki"

Loki's face didn't show off any surprise, even though he felt it. He just offered a short bow "Take care Doctor Foster"

Jane nodded and then took Thor's hand and walked over to the edge of the observatory where they were beamed away as well.

Darcy turned to Loki "I guess it's just us now" She got up on tip toes and kissed him lightly before she took his hand and started to walk away.

"If I may offer a correction, your highness" Both of them turned around to look at Heimdall who turned his golden gaze to them with a small smile on his lips.

"You won't be alone for quite some time"

Loki frowned at him "What do you mean?"

Darcy held Heimdall's gaze as she thought about what he said, and then she smiled.

"Loki let's go" He looked down at her in confusion "I should like to visit Eir"

"Do you feel unwell?"

"No, if Heimdall is right, I have never been better" She smiled up at him and Loki's face lit up in sudden understanding.

He grabbed her face and kissed her hard and long, and when he pulled back he had the biggest smile on his face.

"Yes, let's go see Eir." The soulforge would be able to detect the new life inside her, even if she was just recently fertilized, the tiny life force that was there would still be detected.

* * *

Darcy felt like she grew a little everyday, and by each passing day and increasing signs of her pregnancy, the more Asgard seemed to rejoice at a new heir. Now at the ninth month of her pregnancy she had received countless gifts and well wishes.

Someone was always ready to follow her every whim, her husband most of all, who had gone to Midgard (in disguise) to buy the ridiculous sounding ice creams that she craved countless times by now. Despite the ice cream missions she sent him on he enjoyed her pregnancy thoroughly, her breasts had done the impossible and grown even bigger than before, requiring somewhat more conservative dresses, her hips filled out, making her silhouette even more gorgeous than before. It also didn't hurt that her hormonal levels went rouge in her and her need for sexual encounters grew more severe than before, and he was not going to complain.

With one look from Darcy he could tell what she was thinking, and no matter what they had been doing at the time, they always escaped to some solitary corner where he could slide her dress up and pulse into her slick heat. His little spies around the palace servant quarters, especially Pia, reported back that the servants knew what they were doing, but Loki couldn't care less. They seemed in awe of their love and need for each other, and he wasn't going to try to stop a rumor that clearly benefitted him and Darcy.

Eir had probably heard those rumors, and had been particularly stern in her warning that when Darcy entered her eight month of pregnancy he was absolutely forbidden to copulate with her, both Darcy and Loki had frowned at the word she used for sex, and the fact that they couldn't have it anymore.

Their evenings were spent in bed, resting, and thinking up names for the baby, they had alternatives for both sexes but had decided that the gender would be a surprise, so Eir had not told them.

Darcy had received quite a few name suggestions from the avengers as well. _"Tony can be a unisex name!"_ , she actually liked the name Natasha a lot. And when she had texted the Russian spy to tell her that, not getting a reply, Steve had texted her and wondered how she got Natasha to blush and tear up. Tony had asked the same thing, but wondered if she would teach him so he could use it in blackmailing purposes.

Frigga, as well as her aunts, had gone crazy making clothes for the baby. Even Odin seemed to soften at the sight of her, or rather her big belly carrying the future of Asgard, he had once stormed out of a council meeting at the news of the baby starting to kick. Maybe the allfather could tell something the others couldn't from the baby's kicking, because when he had moved his hand from her belly he had a pleased expression on his face, as if he was already proud.

All of those things made Darcy ridiculously happy, but she still couldn't shake the worry from her last visit with Eir. And her own worry made her even more worried of how it would affect the baby. In the eight month of her pregnancy she had woken up with a fever so severe she had no real memory of anything that had progressed after her waking up.

She remembered Loki picking her up and carrying her to Eir, he had been shouting for all healers in the ward to find out what was wrong and cure her. She remembered Essa's soothing words in her ear _the baby is fine_ , how Essa had known that those words were exactly the ones she needed to hear at that moment she didn't know, but after hearing them she passed out.

_She had woken up three days later, her fever wasn't as high anymore, but she still wasn't well enough to leave her bed. The light coming in from the bedroom window had made her wake up, but the sensation of her arm being numb probably contributed to it as well._

_Loki had been laying on his side next to her on the bed, trapping her arm under him. One of his arms looked like it had slipped down from her night gown clad stomach, as if he had been cradling the both of them._

_Someone pulled the curtains over the window, keeping it from blinding her and she looked over to see Essa look down at her. Her best friend, and baby's godmother, had bags under her eyes and looked too tired to stand, but still managed to smile warmly at her._

_"_ _Hi Darcy, how are you feeling?"_

_Darcy tried to speak but couldn't get any words out and instead started to cough, which shocked Loki back from his dreams and wake up and look at her. Essa handed her a cup of water which she downed almost in one gulp, and Essa filled it up for her again._

_"_ _I'm dizzy, tired…I had a fever?"_

_"_ _Yes, your body reacted to its lowered body temperature and brought up a fever to warm you. It seems like its reaching a middle ground for now. But you will probably go down in temperature in a while again, we'll have to find a way to keep your body from fevering as a result of it" Essa said and once again refilled Darcy cup. This time Darcy paused before drinking._

_"_ _Why is my body temperature going down that much?" Darcy asked._

_"_ _Drink up. You told me you started to feel cold about a month ago, in your seventh month, its not unusual for mothers to experience hormonal changes that may cause their temperatures to rise or sink-"_

_"_ _Yes I know that, but not so much as to get this fever response right?" Darcy asked, feeling increasingly despaired over her situation, damn hormones acting up and making her emotional._

_Essa paused before speaking again "I thought it was normal at first, but you are right, a severe reaction like you just had isn't normal. So I asked Eir, who for once had no specific answer to why this might be happening. But Loki could have figured it out"_

_Darcy looked at Loki, and the mask of stone he wore surprised her. "My mother spoke of her own pregnancy, how Thor's magical energy had grown and increased her mood swings particularly in her seventh and eight month of pregnancy…so I did a little research. And if I am right, you grew colder because of the baby's magical energy, it's growing and evolving."_

_Darcy went blank for a moment as she thought over Loki's words, it was logical but didn't explain why she was getting colder…_

_"_ _Oh"_

_"_ _Eir won't be handling the birth, she will probably be confused as to why she won't do it, but Frigga said she would do it and that you could probably get some medical doctors from earth to help with the delivery" Essa said and Darcy stared at her. Essa knew about Loki. Darcy looked at Loki._

_"_ _Mother and I told her, you need someone to help you with the baby after it is born, and to help you with the delivery. And if Essa is going to do it to the best of her ability she needs to know all the facts" He seemed too calm, but Darcy would speak to him in private later on._

_Darcy looked at Essa who smiled at her and then shrugged "This changes nothing for me Darcy"_

_And then of course Darcy started to cry, damn hormones, she reached out for her friend and Essa got up to sit on the bedside and leaned down to hug her friend._

Even though Darcy had the support to get through the birth without trouble, she was still worried, not so much as how she would manage the birth, but how her child would be treated afterwards. What if her child came out with icy blue skin and didn't have the ability to hide it like its father. What if she couldn't touch her own baby?

Loki had told her that he was scared, something that had taken a toll on him to admit. He was scared that the baby would hurt her, that she would die during the birth because of the jotun child in her, he was also scared of losing both of them before the birth.

Darcy understood him, but she wasn't afraid of dying, she would do anything to get her child safely into the world. But she would not leave it to be exposed to the prejudice of Asgard if her beautiful baby happened to be born with blue skin…

She knew what she had to do.


	29. 29

_And I've never loved a darker blue_   
_Than the darkness I have known in you, own from you_   
_You, whose heart would sing of anarchy_   
_You would laugh at meanings, guarantees, so beautifully_   
_When our truth is burned from history_   
_By those who figured justice in fond memory, witness me_   
_Like fire weeping from a cedar tree_   
_Know that my love would burn with me_   
_We'll live eternally_

_-Better love_

The crown prince of Asgard had been attending all of his father's meetings, as well as private sessions with him where they discussed different policies and matters of their realm. The first months he had merely observed, despite his father knowing he had determined views on the issues at hand from before, but he remained quiet. But now it was different, he was an active part in the council meetings and expected to have solutions to every possible matter.

It was Odin's way of testing him, he knew that. And so he tried not to react harshly when he was annoyed by the million enquiries and problems he was faced with. He was not really a people person, as Darcy had told him teasingly when he had exploded in annoyance in their quarters one night, and his lack of tolerance for other people was probably what Odin tried to manipulate away in time before Loki ascended the throne.

Loki walked from his quarters in search of Darcy, she hadn't been resting as she used to at this hour. He didn't think she'd be in the gardens, it was a chilled spring afternoon so she would have tried to warm herself somewhere. He hated seeing her in such discomfort, the chill had only gotten worse and if she didn't wear thick enough clothes she would start to shiver quite visibly.

He walked into the healing ward, scanning the place for his wife or Essa. The blonde healer turned from a patient just in time to see him walk in and walked over.

"What can I do for you, your highness?" She asked with a smile.

"Have you seen Darcy?"

Essa frowned "Not since this morning check up, why?"

Loki turned around "Let me know if you see her" and then walked out of the ward. He teleported to his mother's quarters, landing by her fountain. Frigga looked up from her book in surprise and her hand maidens gasped in fear and surprise.

"Loki I didn't expect to see you-"

"Mother its urgent, have you seen Darcy?"

The queen paused before answering "I haven't, will you tell me what's wrong?" he glanced at her handmaidens before looking back at his mother who seemed to sense the ire in him growing.

"Tell me if you do" He then teleported away again near the training yard where Thor and the warriors three were teaching some soldiers new fighting techniques.

"Thor!" Thor looked up at his brother and smiled.

"Loki, what can I do for you brother?"

Loki had rushed down to Thor's side "Have you seen Darcy?"

Thor frowned as he thought "Not since my arrival last night, why? Is she missing?"

"I can't find her…let me know as soon as you might see her" Loki said before teleporting away again. He landed some distance away from the observatory and then started to run towards it over the rainbow bridge. The painful sensation in his chest seemed to grow the closer he got, the current situation reminding him far too much of what had happened nearly eight years ago. His vision started to narrow as he entered the observatory, almost expecting her to stand there at the edge of the bifrost, ready to leave him again.

Heimdall turned around and looked at the prince, who's pale countenance told the guardian exactly how he felt, he didn't need to look into his soul to see the obvious fear and apprehension in the crown prince's eyes.

"Where is she?" Loki asked and handed him the note the princess had left with him, knowing that Loki would go here and that there was no risk of anyone else seeing the note and creating suspicions about why she had left.

Loki snatched the note from the guardian and read it.

_Darling, I left the note with Heimdall so that no one else would realize my reason for leaving. He knows everything by default and I knew he wouldn't judge my decision. Tell anyone outside the family that I left to visit my friends on earth. I plan on staying here for the rest of my pregnancy, we can't risk our child's safety by me giving birth on Asgard. If circumstances don't go our way I want our child to be safe, and it will be on earth with my friends._

_When you read this note I hope I haven't caused you too much distress. I will miss you on earth, please come to me._

\- _Darcy_

Loki met the gatekeepers golden gaze.

"Take me to her"

* * *

"What do you mean no? It's a perfectly fine name" Tony exclaimed as he tinkered with the robotic part of something on his desk.

"Tony for the last time, Tonyetta is not a real name, and even if it was I would never name my child that!" Darcy groaned form the sofa.

They were the only ones in the lab for the time being, the others either had missions or other stuff to do.

"It'll grow on you" Tony said and rubbed some sweat away from his forehead. The room was sweltering hot, but Darcy still cozied up under wool blankets and thick sweat pants and sweatshirt.

Bruce walked into the lab, carrying a brown bag, his eyebrows flying up over his forehead as he felt how warm it was.

"Jesus, you weren't kidding about having your temperature lowered were you?" Bruce said as he took in the sight of Darcy on the couch under the blankets. He stuck his hand down the paper bag and then pulled out a smaller bag.

"Your chips, your highness"

"Thanks Bruce!" Darcy smiled and then ripped into her chips bag.

"How are the gloves going?" Bruce asked Tony, the other one was about to reply when he got shocked by whatever he was tinkering with and then erupted into a string of yelled out curse words.

Tony took a calming breath "It's going fine, just some small touches, and getting it to work of course" He was using a similar technique as her Taser-gloves for making the delivery gloves the doctor would use during the delivery, so that if the baby had frost giant skin it wouldn't burn the doctors limbs off with frost bites.

Bruce sat down next to Darcy. "Helen is on her way with one of her old friends from her hospital days. She is going to help with the birth, and her friend is informed of your circumstances and is deeply fascinated by this opportunity to study you" He said with a smile and Darcy looked at him warily, he took her hand "Helen assures me that she is the best of the best. Helen is going to be prepared with her machine if anything goes awry"

"I have team of doctors on board as well" Tony said from his hunched over position. "They're on my pay roll now and if they so much as breath a word of what happens in the delivery room they will be on the streets eating garbage" He said it so casually but the threat behind it was very real, and despite being an all around good guy, Darcy had no doubt he would do it.

"Thank you both" Darcy said and Bruce smiled back.

"Of course Darcy. How are you feeling?" Bruce said and picked up a thermometer from his bag.

Darcy turned her head to her side and pulled her hair away from her ear so that he could take her temperature, then she did the same to the on the other side. "Same as two hours ago" She studied Bruce's face as he checked the thermometer, his neutral face telling her nothing apart from that her temperature probably was lower than was healthy.

Bruce put the thermometer back in his bag and then changed the subject "Steve and Natasha is coming back from their mission in a while"

"Did it go well? Where did they go?" Darcy asked and Tony snorted out a laugh.

"To some boat, I wasn't trusted with more. From what I could tell it did, but Cap still sounded pissed off"

Darcy sighed "Well as long as none of them are hurt"

Tony's phone beeped and he looked at it with a smile. "Ah, my fiancé is apparently on her way home from running her empire"

Darcy smiled at the happy expression on Tony's face when he said fiancé, and then she paused.

"Tony, could you ask her to pick up pickles on her way home?"

The tension between Steve and Natasha was high during dinner. It was one of those rare nights when the avengers did something so domestic as to just eat dinner with each other. Thor was in Asgard and Clint was somewhere else, Natasha was the only one who knew where Clint was but it was of course classified. When she had told Darcy that she had been rewarded by a huffed out sigh from Steve who had overheard them, Natasha had glared at him and then turned to Darcy with a smile and started to talk about something else.

The group, Tony, Pepper, Darcy, Steve, Bruce and Natasha moved to the newly renovated top floor and opened up the bar. Darcy drank orange juice through a bright blue straw, still covered under sweatpants and sweat shirt with her many blankets while she listened to the others talking about stuff that had happened while she had been in Asgard.

Pepper had bought her baby clothes and they sat there gushing over how cute they were, something which clearly made Tony nervous.

It was a really nice evening and she had missed them all so much, she started to think about if she could travel to Jane as well, but then remembered that Jane would have to come to her, she couldn't fly in her condition. And the bifrost had made her sick.

The laughter was interrupted the room lit up in lightning speed and then darkened again, and before anyone could ask what had happened the alarm went off. The Avengers shot up and were instantly ready to fight.

"There's something on the balcony" Steve said and all eyes turned to the figure walking from Tony's landing platform towards them.

Darcy stood up with a smile on her lips, the flash of the bifrost and the dark clad figure could only be one person. "Loki!"

She stood up and started to walk to the door, followed by still battle ready Avengers. Loki teleported the last bit and appeared directly in front of her, she didn't have time to breath before he wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to him.

Darcy wrapped her arms around him as well, and they stood there in silence. The avengers grew increasingly uneasy with staring at them so they looked elsewhere, at least until Loki started to shout.

Loki pulled back, still holding on to Darcy's arms. "What the hell are you doing!" Darcy gaped at him in shock, as well as the avengers and Pepper.

"Loki I told you-"

"You did not tell me anything! You disappeared without a word, do you really think that after searching for you all over the castle that my fears would be pacified by a note!" Darcy said nothing and Loki gathered his breath again.

"You can't do that Darcy, you have to tell me, I thought…" Loki stopped speaking and looked around the room at the avengers, before looking down at his wife. He stepped closer to her again and cupped her face in his hands.

"I thought you disappeared again" Loki said quietly and Darcy's eyes widened "I thought that the spirits had managed to take you"

Darcy felt tears pool in her eyes "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you, I didn't even think about that…I just realized that I needed to go here and I left" She rose up on her tip toes and kissed him, which he eagerly reciprocated and held her close to him.

"I won't do it again" She murmured against his neck and he looked down at her.

"I should bloody well hope so" He sighed and she smirked. Darcy turned around to her friends.

"We're gonna go, have a nice evening guys" Darcy said and led Loki away into the elevator. They had a lot to talk about.

The avengers quietly sat down on the couches again, and then Bruce broke the silence.

"So Loki is going to live here, again"

"It would seem so" Steve stated and drank his beer in one go.

"I don't mind so much actually" Tony said and wrapped his arm over Peppers shoulders. Steve frowned at him.

"How come?"

"I'm comforted by the knowledge that he hates it more than we do" Tony said with a smirk and drank his whiskey. "Cheers to the Asgardians!"

* * *

The days passed in relative peace after Loki's arrival. Darcy hung out with her friends (those who weren't away on super-secret spy missions anyway) during the first half of the day and then went back to her old apartment in the tower to Loki.

But Loki had grown bored of the confined space of Darcy's old living quarters. He had studied all he could find about her life on earth, finding traces and mirror images of her life in Asgard. But after ransacking her old life he prowled through Starks tower. A disguise was necessary of course, and so he had taken Darcy's advice in what clothing to wear and she seemed to favor him wearing suits.

Her first reaction to seeing him in a black suit, black tie, and black shirt was to pull down his pants and suck him off...needless to say she approved of his new apparel. And he approved of her reaction to his new look.

He went looking for Darcy in her usual places, the penthouse, inside garden and then the lab.

The doors slid open and his eyes immediately met Stark's. and he was alone in the room.

"She's not here" stark said before he turned around to hover over his screen again.

"Her absence would suggest that" Loki answered drolly, seeing Stark tense at what Darcy would call 'douchy' answer.

"Do you know where she went?"

"The boy wonder went for a walk with her, I don't remember how long ago"

Loki nodded at the answer even though Stark couldn't see him. He was still annoyed by the sight of the saint that was Captain America, but Darcy had told him that the captain was going through though times...and so he tried to not interfere whenever they had their talks.

"Thank you" Loki said curtly before he turned around to leave.

"Wait up reindeer games!" Tony said and turned around, Loki looked back at him with a frown.

"I have a science question"

Loki raised an eyebrow "A science question?" Skepticism rolling off his tongue.

"Yes, for something I'm working on"

Loki's eyes narrowed "did Darcy tell you to include me?"

Tony frowned "No, I wouldn't have agreed if she had asked anyway"

"…I believe you"

They stared at each other for a minute before Loki walked over to Stark.

"The question?"

They spoke at length after that. Stark had an idea, still very much at an infant level, concerning the possibility of building robots to protect the earth's population against alien attacks. Like the chitauri's attack on New York. And make the robots with the same technology as his robotic suits.

Darcy found them debating consciousness and Tony waving calculations about how he had made Jarvis. She had stood there and stared at them for a while with a smile on her face. Feeling better than she had all day, the walk with Steve had alleviated her cramps a little but they was still an ominous thrumming feeling in her body.

"Loki?" Loki looked back and met Darcy's smiling eyes.

"Darling, thank Yggdrasil! Help me educate this pleb"

"Take that royal stick out your ass and listen!" Tony shot back as he started to doodle down an equation.

Darcy laughed at them and walked over, she bent down and kissed Loki's cheek before leaning against his chair.

"I'd love to let you chat but I think I want to go and see Dr..."

Both men took a while to notice her silence. But we're quickly woken from their argumentative slumber when the sound of splashing echoed through the room.

Loki whipped around and met Darcy's wide open eyes, her hand pressed against her stomach.

Darcy let out a breath she hadn't know she was holding and it manifested into the only words she could think of in that situation "Holy fuck, I'm having a baby"

* * *

"Darcy breathe" said but Darcy's scream tuned her out. The makeshift delivery room had been stocked the days following Darcy's arrival and 's team was running around checking equipment and other stats while trying to drain out the soon to be mother's impressive screams.

Darcy's head fell back against the pillows again. Her pale lips shaking from the pain and cold. Her body was covered with blankets and hot water bottles but she was still chilled.

"Helen?" said and the sweet scientist stepped forward from her previous place at another machine.

"Find the father, I need to know more about the usual process for birthing frost Giants"

Helen nodded and turned to leave but Darcy's scream made her halt.

"And when you find him tell him to get his ass in here!" Darcy shrieked and poor Helen only nodded before she scurried out.

When she got out into the other room where Bruce and Steve were currently waiting, they both shot up from their chairs.

"What is it?"

"Is something wrong?"

"No, no she's fine. In pain and about to push a baby out of her genitals but...fine for now. I need to find the father"

"Loki beamed up to Asgard about an hour ago, he said he wouldn't be long-"

"Did I miss it?" They all turned to see Natasha, still in uniform, running down the hallway towards them.

"No, it's not delivered yet" Helen said and Bruce looked at Natasha in surprise.

"I thought you just left for Scandinavia?"

"I did" Natasha answered, a little out of breath. "But when I got your text I flew back" when Bruce opened his mouth to ask about the mission she held up her hand to stop him "it can wait"

Tony appeared in the corridor walking towards them, he was about to say something as he got closer but jumped back in surprise when Loki and another lady everyone but Bruce recognized appeared out of nowhere in front of him.

Loki took one sharp look at them "Is it over?"

Tony snorted as he walked around him "You wish"

Helen stepped forward " needs more information about typical Jotun births-"

"We usually kill them before we ask about how they reproduce!" Loki snapped and glared at Helen. The doctor shrank back a little in response.

They all looked on in surprise as the lady in gold dress next to Loki put a hand on his chest and pushed him back slightly, but not ungently.

"Loki, look at me" Loki met his mother's gaze. "They are trying to help. Let me speak to the healer and Darcy, so we can sort this out"

The avengers all seemed to go slack as the lady turned around and looked at them with a gentle smile on her face. The kindness within her seemed to radiate out and warm anyone who looked at her.

Her smile widened "You must be the friends Thor speaks so highly of. I am Frigga his mother, I'm sorry that I did not have the opportunity to speak with you further in Asgard"

Bruce's jaw dropped slightly "The queen of Asgard?"

"That would be me" She said with a small bow of her head. She was about to speak again when a loud scream interrupted the silence. Frigga suddenly turned very determined "I'll speak to you another time, I'm about to be a grandmother" Loki and Frigga disappeared into the delivery room.

* * *

2 hours later.

Loki who had been banished from the delivery room by Darcy lounged in the chairs outside with the other avengers. Tony who obviously had something on his mind had been looking at Loki for an aggravatingly long time.

"What, Stark?"

"How bad would it be if the baby was a frost giant?" Loki paused for a long while after that.

"If the baby cannot hide its appearance somehow…it would mean that we cannot bring it back to Asgard. It would be looked down on and hated in Asgard…so we would find some way to have it here. Darcy mentioned a school for kids with abilities, maybe it can fit in there."

"Why are they so terrible?" Natasha asked.

"They have been the enemies of Asgard for as long as anyone can remember, they are the stuff of nightmares that all Asgardians hear of from the time their born. Their skin is so cold that it burns flesh of bones"

"Darcy said they are blue" Steve said and Loki met the captains gaze, feeling the change come over him. His eyes that met the captains were red, his face, his hands and lower arms were hauntingly blue.

"We are blue"

* * *

Rana was born without any remarkable complications. The mother was healthy. The baby was too, despite having a lower body temperature. When Loki first held her, just hours old, he had let out a deep sigh and his skin had rippled into deep shade of blue. Rana had stared up at him for the longest time, and then slowly her lips, her eyes, hands and feet turned a turquoise hue. Her touch was a little cold, but nowhere near painful.

Her father had cried from joy.

…

The newest addition to the royal family was presented at court four months afterwards. By then her parents were sure she was healthy and knew exactly when she was likely to change hue, as it seemed to be instinctual.

It was agreed by all nobles that she was the most handsome child, especially her eyes. Her eyes were a gift from her mother, but as Darcy frequently said, they were much more beautiful than hers. And even Loki, who loved everything about Darcy, had to agree. Rana's eyes were truly beautiful, they swirled like a waterfall, like a river. Both dark and light blue.

Her grandfather had shed a tear when he first held her. Thor had gotten teary eyed as well. Odin would have laid down the crown for his granddaughter from the moment she reached out and grabbed his finger, so complete was her power. Odin, Loki and Thor had immediately started to guess what she would be the goddess of.

Frigga had looked at them, holding the little bundle of joy in her arms, with a secret smile on her face. The moment Rana had been born, had handed her to Frigga who had then proceeded to magically examine her. And as soon as Rana's skin met hers she had had a vision.

No she wouldn't be the goddess of war or battle, not of magic either. No, she would be the goddess of the sea. She had seen her beautiful granddaughter ride the sea serpent enveloping the worlds, Jörmungand. She could part seas, she could turn it to ice, to rain. She would guard the souls of people lost at sea and bring them home.

And maybe her being the goddess of the seas would solve the mystery of why she turned this light shade of blue, a sea goddess would have to have some water in her blood after all…

But she wouldn't spoil that surprise for her parents or the rest of the family.

…

"I want another one" Darcy whispered as she stood looking down at Rana in her crib. Loki stood behind her and hugged her from behind.

"That could be arranged" He kissed her ear and Darcy smiled and turned around to kiss him.

"I'll let the nanny take her for an hour or two" Loki then picked her up and walked out of the nursery into their bedroom. Darcy landed on the bed with her husband above her seconds later, kissing and eagerly peeling her clothes off.

Knocking on the door ruined the mood, however. Loki growled in frustration "What!" He called out and Darcy instantly flinched at the loud sound, Rana would probably wake up from it.

The door opened and Darcy's maid stepped in and Thor rushed past her like a whirlwind.

"Brother I need your help!" Thor boomed and Darcy flinched yet again.

"I just got her to sleep" Darcy groaned and Loki got up to face his brother.

"What Thor?" Crying in the other room made Darcy's maid, Tanni, rush towards the nursery door. Darcy got up and waved her away.

"I got it, Tanni"

"Yes, mistress" Tanni said and then left the room.

When Darcy got back after comforting Rana, cuddling her daughter to her chest, she was met with Loki's astonished expression. _Thor must have really fucked up this time_.

"What is it?" Darcy asked and Thor turned and started to explain it for her.

Darcy then sat there, in her newly ' _just got her shit together'_ life and stared at Thor in complete astonishment.

"You mean to tell me that Jane was possessed by an evil space elf weapon and is now trying to kill her, and that the dark elves that were thought to be extinct will come for her now that their 'force has awakened' them"

"They have hidden themselves from Heimdall's sight but mother felt them through her pool"

Rana's spit bubble popped and the four month old squealed in delight, while her parents sat there motionless staring at her uncle.

Darcy finally blinked, and took a breath "You have got to be kidding me"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fin!  
> Fact check: Rana is originally named Ran in Nordic mythology, she is the goddess of the sea and has nine daughters all named after different types of waves, with her husband Ägir.   
> Rana is a Jotun so it fits the story quite well, you may see my interpretation of how she meets her future husband at some point down the road...  
> I wanted to end on a comedic note as well as show that the adventures of Darcy and Loki aren't over, but this story is.  
> That is it from this story (except for that one shot I'm going on about). Review and tell me what you think.  
> Huge hugs and thankyous to all who reviewed and favorited and followed the story, I love the response the story has gotten and I'm happy so many people liked it.  
> Love you all, and thank you.


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